


To the Border Comes, of Eden

by goldenwatcher



Series: Airs from Heaven, or Blasts from Hell [3]
Category: Good Omens (TV), Lucifer (TV)
Genre: Abduction, Biblical Themes, M/M, Magical Binding, forced gender change, one brief mention of rape (off screen and not any listed character)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-20
Updated: 2020-08-22
Packaged: 2021-03-04 04:41:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 21,744
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24827737
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/goldenwatcher/pseuds/goldenwatcher
Summary: "So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life." -Genesis 3:24, KJVA prophecy and a secret organization searching for the way to the Tree of Life leads to Azirphale being abducted.  Fortunately, he's not alone, Ella Lopez and Eve by his side.  Their favorite demons are determined to save them, and it becomes a race to see who reaches the gate to Eden first.
Relationships: Aziraphale/Crowley (Good Omens)
Series: Airs from Heaven, or Blasts from Hell [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1683355
Comments: 61
Kudos: 173





	1. Chapter 1

_1180 BCE_   
_Troy_

Aziraphale paused, checking the alley before her to see if any Greek soldiers were within. The air was thick with the smell of blood and smoke as fires raged through the city, screaming and fighting and dying in the distance. With no one visible, Aziraphale gestured her mistress forward, quickly guiding her into the temple of Athena.

Once inside, Cassandra slid off her veil, her dark hair wild from their flight and blue eyes perpetually cloudy and distant.

Aziraphale ducked quickly into the temple proper to search for any priests or interlopers but found no one. She then returned and looked around at what supplies remained there in the kitchen.

“We appear to be alone, Princess,” the angel said. “Let me fix you a meal to help you gather your strength.”

“There is no time,” Cassandra replied, gazing toward the front of the temple. After a heavy pause, she turned and gave Aziraphale a weak smile. “I’m afraid the time has come for us to part ways, my dear friend.”

“Now is not the time,” Aziraphale objected. “I must keep you safe.”

“You cannot.”

“Cassandra,” Aziraphale said softly. “You are wise and far-seeing, but even you cannot know the truth of this.”

Cassandra was a cursed woman, born a princess of Troy, and chosen as a priestess of Apollo. When she held her virginity sacred, she was cursed with clear Sight of the future, but never to be believed. Even then, Aziraphale could not think this young woman knew the truth of what the angel was. There were no similar beings in her religion, thus no frame of reference.

Still, Heaven had sent Aziraphale to watch over her. Cassandra’s prophecies were always accurate, despite no one believing her. Heaven had felt it best to have someone keep an eye on the pious girl even with that safeguard. Aziraphale had been her handmaiden since that day. She knew that Cassandra might not know precisely what Aziraphale was, but she was also not entirely in the dark.

Cassandra gently unwrapped the veil that hid Aziraphale’s hair, eyes widening in delight at the wild tumble of white curls.

“You must leave,” the princess said softly, fingers tracing a curl. “You are a daughter of Gods, a nymph of green and knowledge. You would be kept and collected as a kingly prize. You mustn’t stay, Aziraphale.”

“I can get you out of the city,” Aziraphale protested.

Cassandra’s smile was weak. “But you won’t. I will pray to Athena for safety in this dying war. You must go.”

Tears stood in Cassandra’s eyes. It was apparent she knew what happened next and was terrified. It was just as evident that her mind was made up.

Aziraphale wasn’t afraid for herself. She could defend herself against any attempt to imprison or claim her. She also knew there was no longer any use fighting Cassandra. Her ability to watch over and protect the prophetess was at an end, which meant it was time for her to leave. She gently touched the young princess’s face, then slipped back out of the temple.

Aziraphale started to dart back across the alley when she was grabbed; a knife pressed to her throat.

She gasped, but before she could further react, a voice murmured in her ear. “Relax, Aziraphale. It’s just me,” Crawley whispered.

Aziraphale panted lightly from the adrenaline and grasped her skirts, stilling the instinct to fight the hold. “You’re with the Greeks then?” she asked, her heart pounding in her chest.

“Yeah. I can get you out as a conquest, and we can take off after we’re outside.” He pushed her back against the wall of the temple and stripped off a scarf from around her person. He gave her a reproachful look. “Cover your hair, you idiot. Are you mad? Do you know how exotic white hair is?”

“Yes, in fact, I’ve been keeping it covered for five years. Cassandra removed my veil.”

“Princess Cassandra?” Crawley asked, glancing at the temple.

Aziraphale finished wrapping up her hair. “Yes. Why?”

“We were told that we could find her handmaiden with her.”

Aziraphale blinked. “Me? Why?”

“We need to go, angel. I’ll explain later.”

Crawley looped a rope around Aziraphale’s wrists, binding her hands in front of her even as she huffed in protest. He led her through the burning streets of Troy. The fire was everywhere, bodies of the citizens littering the ground while the living were bound in groups. It was not uncommon to hear the screams of victims being raped and tortured in alleys and buildings. Near the front gate, a voice called out Crawley’s name. The demon jerked Aziraphale to a stop.

A Greek soldier walked up, staring hard at Aziraphale before turning to Crawley. He was drenched in blood, a hand on the hilt of his sword, and his eyes reflecting the fires in a creepy, manic way. “What’s this then, Crawley?”

“My prize,” the demon hissed coldly. “Menelaus promised me what I will of the sacking of Troy for my help.”

“What help did you offer, snake?” the Greek spat.

“Take your displeasure up with your king, Cleetus. Your interference changes nothing.”

Cleetus stepped in front of Aziraphale and cocked his head, staring hard at her face. Aziraphale kept her eyes down, her body tense and cringing. She didn’t want to have to defend herself, and it was better for Crawley’s act for her to be whimpering and afraid. The Greek’s eyes drifted to her veil, and he reached for it. Crawley’s sword blocked his hand.

“Touch what’s mine, and I’ll make sure you won’t do it twice.”

“Orders are to find the white-haired woman Helenus mentioned.”

“I stole her from the temple of Hera. Last I heard, Ajax had cornered Cassandra in Athena’s temple.”

Cleetus looked off, intrigued. “Truly?” He glanced again at Aziraphale then smiled at Crawley. “We’ll know soon enough, I suppose.” He hurried off, making for Athena’s temple.

“Helenus? Cassandra’s twin?” Aziraphale hissed.

“I will explain,” Crawley replied and pulled her forward, past the enormous wooden horse. They left through the gate and around the corner of the city. At a safe enough distance, Crawley pulled the rope free.

“Meet you in Memphis?” he asked.

Aziraphale shook her head, grimacing. “I cannot think of the plagues after a night like this. Athens?”

Crawley nodded and disappeared. Aziraphale quickly changed her appearance to a male in Athenian garb then teleported over. The demon was leaning on the building beside him.

“Helenus?” Aziraphale prompted. Like his sister, Helenus had been gifted with Sight, but he was not cursed as she was.

Crawley shrugged. “Helenus told Menelaus that his sister was accompanied by a nymph with white hair with knowledge of the Garden.”

The angel frowned, a bit perplexed. “Well, that makes little sense. None of these cultures are aware of Eden.”

“They are. They just call it something else.” Crowley fluidly pushed off the wall and straightened. “See you around, angel.”

“Yes. Thank you for the assistance, Crawley.” The demon turned, making a displeased noise in his throat, but Aziraphale just waved him off, and he kept going. “Yes, yes. Another time, then.” The two walked away, dismissing the horrible night.

* * *

The soldier sat hunched over, carefully skating a stick of charcoal over the papyrus. He tried to capture what he’d seen, hoping the vision would be useful. As he worked, another Green soldier approached and glanced at his sketch.

“A woman?” he spat in disgust. “You called me here for that?”

“A woman with hair whiter than fresh milk,” the artist replied, looking up.

Eyes widened. The soldier took the sketch, studying it. “This is her? The nymph Helenus said could lead to the Garden of the Hesperides?”

“I saw her outside Athena’s temple, where we found Cassandra, but I had to stay with Ajax. I could not follow her.”

“Anything else?” he asked, staring at the image

“The princess had a name for her: Aziraphale.”

“That’s not a Trojan name.” His eyes traced over every detail of the soft, round face, gaze almost fanatical. “Aziraphale.”


	2. Chapter 2

_ Modern Day, 8.5 years after Armageddon _

_ Soho, London _

Aziraphale carefully replaced the books that his customers had moved about, considering his shelves with a happy sigh. The shop was open, rather early for a Tuesday, and there was little activity to be had. The silence as he slowly shuffled about, the scent of paper and vanilla, and the warm knowledge that he was due to meet Crowley for a delightful breakfast in about an hour left him feeling satisfied and content.

It had been months since he had met Charlie, Linda and Amenadiel’s half-angel son, and set off a chain of events that had left him almost always trapped with company. He traveled over the phone lines to Los Angeles at least once a month to interact with the infant angel. Lucifer came by once a week to teach him how to protect himself from Charlie’s psychic communication. When genuinely distressed, Charlie could reach for Aziraphale across the globe, which was beyond startling to the much older principality. Also, when Charlie was upset, Linda was often upset, and she cried to Crowley, who whined to him. On top of it all, Ella Lopez, upon finding out that he didn’t have an email, would call and write him letters to keep in touch. The letters were charming; the phone calls less so.

Finally alone, Aziraphale slowly sorted through his books, caressing the spines and adjusting the displays, deeply content.

The bell over the front door chimed as it opened, and Aziraphale mentally sighed. “Do let me know if you need any assistance,” he called unenthusiastically.

The customer closed the door slowly, moving through the store. “Wow,” a woman said. “This is incredible.”

Something tickled in the back of Aziraphale’s mind; he frowned and set the book in his hand down. “Thank you,” he replied, turning to study her. She was short with dark eyes and long, curling hair. He was sure he’d never seen her before, and yet she was very familiar.

She grinned warmly, turning to him. “You’ve done well for yourself, Aziraphale.”

Despite the strange face, the look in those dark eyes was still the same. “What… Eve?”

She nodded, excited. “It’s been a long time.”

“Yes, indeed.” He studied her, bemused by her appearance. “You look very different.”

“Yeah. I crawled back into my bones, but what came after that was surprising.” She studied her hands a moment then laughed. “I like it. I mean, I liked my previous body too, but this is also wonderful.” Eve looked up at him, cocking her head. “You look the same, almost the same, actually.”

“Yes, well, I also enjoy my form. Would you like some tea, my dear?”

“Sure!”

Aziraphale went into his back room, starting the kettle to boil. “Lucifer said you might wander by,” he called. He honestly hadn’t expected her to, however. It wasn’t like they were close or even much interacted.

Eve leaned against the doorframe, puzzled. “You’ve talked to Lucifer?”

It felt very awkward to admit to an outsider that he’d been in communication with the Devil. “We talk sometimes,” he replied vaguely.

“Wait. Do you mean Luce or the snake? I recall seeing you talk to him as well. What was his name again?”

“Crowley? I speak to him too, but no. I was referencing Lucifer Morningstar. The, uh, the Devil.” It was awkward, saying it all aloud. Lucifer had mostly been very pleasant to him, but part of Aziraphale felt like he’d failed a test when he spoke out loud of being in somewhat close contact with the Devil. Then again, he honestly would choose to spend time with Lucifer over Gabriel.

“Why is an angel talking to demons?” Eve asked curiously.

“Why is the Mother of Humanity back on Earth?” Aziraphale countered.

She sighed, sagging against the wood. “It’s just so boring with Adam--”

“Boring?” Aziraphale turned to stare at her. “You chose to risk damnation because you were bored?”

“Damnation?” She scoffed. “There’s no risk of that.”

“You are human, Eve. You will be judged by your actions on the Earth, the same as before. It is possible to earn Hell.”

Eve looked at him, eyes wide like she hadn’t considered that option. “Well, what about you? You're talking with Lucifer and Crawley.”

“Crowley,” Aziraphale absently corrected. Just then, the kettle whistled, and he set about preparing the pot. “These are not my greatest crimes. You can hardly judge me for it, as Lucifer’s ex… twice over now, yes? If God wishes to cast me out, I quickly find out. There isn’t such immediacy for you.”

They both heard the front door bells as someone else entered the shop. Aziraphale sighed. “I’m sorry, my dear. It wasn’t my intention to alarm you so. My concern got the best of me.”

Another woman rounded the bookcases and looked at the two, then grinned.

“Zira! Eve! I didn’t know you two knew each other!”

“Miss Lopez?” Aziraphale said, startled. Eve squealed in excitement and rushed forward to hug Ella, the two women squeezing each other breathless. “I’m stunned to see you,” he continued awkwardly.

Ella rushed forward to hug Aziraphale as well, the angel awkwardly patting her shoulder. “I had vacation time and thought I’d check London out. Don’t worry; I’m not going to monopolize your time.” She looked at Eve. “I didn’t know you’d be here.”

“Oh, I’ve known Aziraphale a long time,” Eve replied. “I only just found out he was in London, so I thought I’d drop in while in the area.”

“Eve actually introduced me to my husband,” Aziraphale said, trying hard to keep their stories straight.

“I did?” Eve blinked. “Wait, you’re married?” She looked at his hands, where the wedding ring was conspicuously absent.

“You knew Tony before Zira did?” Ella asked, surprised. “That seems impossible. They just feel like they’ve been together forever.”

Eve was hopelessly confused. “Tony?”

“Crowley,” Aziraphale corrected.

Eve lit up like a Christmas tree. “You married Crowley? I didn’t know you could do that!” She seemed to realize how that sounded because she quickly corrected herself. “I mean, it’s just that your families are so different. Honestly, I wouldn’t have expected that of you two.”

“They are super cute together,” Ella gushed. “You didn’t know?”

“I met Aziraphale and Crowley independent of each other a long time ago. I accidentally introduced them then disappeared for ages.”

“Oh, man. I bet that was a fun courtship.” Ella looked up and around the shop, amazed. “This is crazy, Zira! This place is amazing!”

“I didn’t know you were so into books,” Eve added, flipping through one on his desk.

“Thank you, Miss Lopez--”

“Ella!”

“Ella,” he corrected, distracted by Eve’s hands on his books. “Eve, my dear, that is Mother Shipton and worth quite a lot of money. Please, come have some tea. I’ll close the shop and we can talk.”

“I’ll be careful, Zira,” Eve said with a lovely smile that didn’t do a thing to calm him.

“How much are all of these books worth?” Ella asked, glancing over the shelves.

“A fortune. Eve, please.”

Eve started to lift her arm and back away, but knocked the book off the desk. She scrambled to catch it but only managed the two back pages and pulled them free of the back cover.

Both Eve and Ella looked at each in horror other with hands over their mouths. Then they both turned to Aziraphale. He was very still, appearing as if gathering calm as he stared at the book.

Eve knelt to collect it carefully but paused, frowning. “Aziraphale,” she said, “there’s a paper here. It looks like it was tucked into the matting on the back cover.”

Aziraphale blinked in surprise, then also frowned and walked over. He slipped on his cotton gloves and a pair of forceps and gently pulled the page free. He took a moment to examine it. “Odd,” he murmured. “This book was published in 1641, but this paper is not nearly so old.”

Ella leaned over the desk, curiously looking at the page. “I’m no expert,” she said, intrigued, “but that looks like parchment. How did it stay huddled so long in a paper book?”

“Is there a difference?” Eve asked.

“Yes,” Aziraphale replied, rising to set both the book and parchment onto the desk. “Parchment is from specially treated animal skins. It’s far more delicate than paper. I have a special room for the vellum and parchment.” That the room was supposed to be a sitting room in the flat absolve was beside the point. The parchment rather politely stayed in one piece. Using the forceps and his fingers, he started to unfold the page carefully.

Glass shattered, causing all three to jump. Aziraphale dropped the page in startlement then nearly swore. “Honestly! What now?” he groused.

One of the windows just across from them was broken. Aziraphale expected to see a ball or even a brick on the floor, but he couldn’t spot what had shattered it.

Across from him, Ella frowned, getting a bad feeling. “Zira…”

Aziraphale glanced at her. He opened his mouth to speak but stiffened suddenly, a dart with a red tuft of fiber appearing at his neck. He reached up, grabbing the dart and pulling it free and stared at it, stunned.

Ella whipped around the table, grabbing him as he began to stumble and sink to the floor. His body was going lax, muscles heavy as they ceased to respond to him. It was a terrifying sensation that he’d never felt before. Through the front door came two men in suits, once locking up behind and flipping the sign to ‘Closed.’ The other pulled a gun, holding it on the three of them. From the back door, another two men in jumpsuits approached and grabbed Aziraphale. Ella gave one of them a bloody nose for their effort.

The gun was cocked. “Ladies, we’d rather not kill you, but we also won’t hesitate. You are not the ones we want.” He gestured with the gun for them to back away.

Aziraphale, insensate, was hoisted up by the two men in overalls and carried out back. The suits with the guns gestured for Ella and Eve to follow. In the back alley behind the shop, a van waited, the engine still running. Inside, they laid Aziraphale out. His arms were bound behind his back, his ankles cuffed together, and shackles around his throat, chest, stomach, and legs pinned him against the wall.

“Oh my God,” Ella gasped, immediately going to him. “What, are you scared of him or something? He’s a bookseller.”

“What do you want with Aziraphale?” Eve asked, far more cautious.

The suit who had locked up the shop held out his hand. “Mobile phones, please ladies. Passports too.”

Ella and Eve both looked at each other over Aziraphale’s still form. There was a gravity in each woman’s eyes. Ella was not used to being kidnapped, but she did work homicide in Los Angeles and had familiarity with the criminal scene. Meanwhile, Eve knew what Aziraphale was, and it was obvious from the way he was bound that these men did too. Anyone willing to purposefully abduct an angel was dangerous, because that meant that they were confident they could control him.  Both women knew they were in serious trouble and, without argument, handed over their passports and phones, but not before Eve covertly hung hers up.


	3. Chapter 3

_ Los Angeles _

Mazikeen and Trixie stood across from each other in the grassy yard, each watching the other confidently. They were armed with replicas of their demonsteel daggers, calmly ready to spar. On the patio a safe distance away, Linda was sitting on a lawn chair with Charlie, feeding the half-celestial infant little puffs of sweet potato. Amenadiel and Decker were also seated at the table, also absently snacking on the surprisingly tasty puffs as they watched the demon and child on the lawn.

“Did you tell Crowley?” Decker asked, watching her daughter launch an attack against the demon and trying not to flinch.

“Do I look stupid?” Linda replied dryly, glancing at her. “Let Ella surprise them. I’m not going to ruin her fun.”

“Why did she want to visit them?” Amenadiel asked.

“Watch your back, monkey!” Decker suddenly called out as Trixie ducked and rolled.

“Mom, don’t distract me!”

“Oops,” Decker grimaced at Linda.

Linda shifted Charlie, making a silly face at him to cause a giggle. “I don’t know,” she cooed to her son. “Maybe she feels something in their presence that she can’t explain and wants to explore it.”

“Like you explored Lucifer?” Decker asked, eyes wide with false innocence as she looked at her friend.

Linda froze, staring at her. “Yeah, we don’t talk about that.”

“Please.” Amenadiel looked a little ill.

“And I really don’t want to think about Ella with our English boys in that way.”

Suddenly, Charlie started whimpering. He looked up at his mother with dewy eyes, unhappy and a bit afraid. Amenadiel straightened as Linda frowned and tried to soothe him.

“Is he okay?” Decker asked.

“I don’t know,” Linda murmured, cuddling her child. Then Mazikeen’s cell phone went off. The demon called a halt and walked over to pick it up, watching Charlie as she grabbed it from the table. Her glance at the caller ID wiped the smile away.

“What’s wrong?” Decker asked, her eyes alert and worried.

Mazikeen put the phone to her ear. “Eve?” she said. After a moment, her face went cold, and she turned on the speaker. The sounds were muffled and hard to identify. Everyone strained to listen until there was the definite sound of a van door opening and a gasp.

“Oh, my God! What, are you scared of him or something? He’s a bookseller!”

Decker looked alarmed at the sound of Ella’s voice.

“What do you want with Aziraphale?” Eve said.

“Mobile phones please, ladies,” a masculine voice with an English accent spoke. “Passports too.”

The line went dead.

“Is Aziraphale okay?” Trixie asked, worried as she moved to stand by her mother.

“Sounds like both Eve and Ella are with him,” Decker said.

Mazikeen punched at her phone and listened to the ring, keeping it on speaker. “Ah, Mazikeen. Unless there’s word from the Boss, I’m hanging up, maybe then too. I’m kinda busy,” Crowley answered briefly.

“Aziraphale, Eve, and Ella have been grabbed from the bookshop. I’m on the next flight out.” She hung up before he could reply.

“I’ll ask around the Home Offices,” Amenadiel said as he rose, mindful that Trixie didn’t know about their celestial and infernal natures.

“I’ll see if I can get a trace on Ella’s phone just in case,” Decker added. She looked torn. “Dan’s out of town; I can’t--”

“You won’t want to go with us,” Mazikeen said, giving Decker a dark look. It was a clear reminder that there would be two demons in pursuit of their friends. A human did not belong in such harrowing company.

“We’ll forward you everything we learn,” Decker said, looking up at Mazikeen as she kissed Trixie’s head soothingly.

The demon nodded and headed to the car, ready for the hunt.

* * *

Crowley screeched to a stop outside of the bookshop. The lights were out, the sign flipped to ‘Closed.’ The door was locked but never to him. It opened almost gladly, as if happy for the return of someone familiar, and he snapped on the lights to look around.

The bookshop was mostly tidy without any signs of a fight. Broken glass littered the floor under a window, and a torn book sat on Aziraphale’s desk. A strange cylinder was on the floor, a red pom-pom on one end, and a needle on the other. Crowley searched the back room and found a teapot that was tepid, the loose-leaf tea having steeped for some time. Next, he slid out the back of the shop. On the pavement were two smartphones, smashed. He ran his hands through his hair, turning in circles as he tried to take everything in. He had no idea what to do, and panic was crawling at his throat. He couldn’t lose Aziraphale, but he didn’t know how to find the angel.

Crowley darted back inside. “Aziraphale!” He listened for a moment, but the bookshop remained frighteningly empty. “Aziraphale!” It wasn’t like he’d thought calling out would help, a cheap hope. He considered that perhaps Aziraphale went out for an early lunch with Ella and Eve, but he quickly dismissed it. The angel would never have left a torn book and broken window unrepaired. He crossed to the book, glancing at the spine. Mother Shipton: Aziraphale was going to lose his mind. Crowley sank to the floor and carefully picked up the needle. He sniffed it, then licked at the air, tongue flickering. Ella Lopez and another human woman hung in the air, and there were four human men. But what caught his attention was Aziraphale: it was his blood on the needle, and it made the demon nearly hiss in rage. He didn’t understand why they had drugged Aziraphale. As far as anyone knew, he was as mortal as Ella Lopez. Why wasn’t she drugged as well?

Crowley glanced around the bookshop, sliding his sunglasses off. All he could feel just then was everything in flame; the smoke clogged his senses. Crowley looked up. “Please don’t take him from me again,” he whispered.

* * *

Lucifer felt the presence of his brother in his domain and spread his wings, soaring up through the skies of Hell to his throne. He tugged at the arms of his shirt, settling into place. “Hello, Brother,” he started, his tone mocking.

Amenadiel held up a hand, interrupting. They hadn’t the time to play games. “Aziraphale has been abducted, along with Eve and Ella Lopez. They were all at Aziraphale’s bookshop in London when Eve called Maze. She’s on her way now.”

“Crowley?” Lucifer asked sharply, any sign of humor gone.

“Maze called him. I expect he’s gone directly there. I’m heading to the Silver City to see if I can’t track Aziraphale.”

Lucifer nodded, and they both split up, not bothering to waste time or words.

Lucifer surfaced into the back alley of the bookshop and slid into the back room like he always did. He noted the cooling tea and sensed Crowley’s presence in the main space. He heard the tearful prayer, and it fueled his rage that someone would strike at his people.

“He’s not listening, but I very much am,” Lucifer stated, coming out of the back room.

Crowley jerked around, the dart falling from his hands. He reared and hissed, flashing his fangs with his eyes fully serpentine before he hesitated, realizing who it was.

“Ah, a tranquilizer dart,” Lucifer observed. He approached and crouched down to pick it up, heedless of the upset demon aggressive display. He licked the tip thoughtfully. “Looks like they shot him with ketamine.” He turned the dart in his hand. “Only one, though.”

“How can you tell its ketamine?” Crowley asked.

“Because, Crowley, I worked with the police,” he drawled. “Well, that and, when I first established Lux, dealers would sometimes try to move in on my territory. Sometimes they had Special K on them.” Lucifer rose, walking to the window. “The glass was broken in, most likely to give a clear shot. It’s a small hole, though. No sign of what made it. I don’t believe they drugged either of the ladies.”

“If they only drugged Aziraphale, it has to mean they know what he is,” Crowley growled.

“Maze will have to confirm that. It could be because he’s the only one of the three who appears male, or that they believe him to be inhuman in some way. They might not know he’s an angel.”

“Why would someone kidnap Aziraphale? To find a rare book?” Crowley glared at the shelves of books, frustrated at how helpless he was yet again. “They have to know he’s an angel, but why kidnap an angel? It’s almost as stupid as abducting a demon.”

“I don’t know,” Lucifer replied, studying the glass on the floor to see if he could find the projectile. “And why take Eve and Miss Lopez? They could not possibly have been planning on having them together.”

“Control Aziraphale,” Crowley sighed. “Depending on what they want, he might be willing to do it to protect them.”

“Might?”

Crowley glanced at Lucifer. “They’re human. He’ll be upset, but he would let them die if it went against his responsibilities.”

“He’s the Guardian of the Eastern Gate. Eve  _ is _ his responsibility.”

Crowley froze, his eyes widening. “Whu-- that Eve? What the Heaven? How?”

Lucifer waffled his hand. “Eh, long story. She chose to come back to re-experience life.”

“Oh, well, perfect,” Crowley spat.

Lucifer narrowed his eyes. “Why?”

“If they find out he’s required to protect her, then we’ve gone from a missing angel who can Divine Vengeance his abductors to a Principality of God at the mercy of human will.”

Lucifer looked up at the broken window. “We need Maze here now.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Aziraphale is forced to alter his gender appearance, and it remains changed for the rest of the story. He's not happy, but this doesn't greatly distress him.

_ Location Unknown _

They weren’t in the van for long, perhaps just over an hour. Both Ella and Eve sat by Aziraphale, petting his hair and side. His eyes were open but glazed, pupils sliding slowly about as if watching things. His blinking was also sluggish, Aziraphale’s body appearing to struggle to remember things that should have been instinctive. They hadn’t gagged him but he didn’t try to talk, just staring off.

“What did they do to him?” Eve asked softly. She looked concerned, but it was an odd thing; there was something impersonal and distant, even though it was heartfelt. It was almost like Aziraphale was a pet, rather than a friend.

“A tranquilizer dart like that on a human? My money’s on ketamine. He’ll come to soon, but he might be loopy, disassociative, and possibly hallucinating.”

Eve looked at her, alarmed. “Hallucinating?”

Ella frowned, looking around. “Do you feel that? We’re slowing down and turning. We left the freeway. We should be stopping soon. I hope.”

It was another five minutes before they pulled to a stop, and the engine died. The back doors opened, and a different man stood there from before, though also in a suit. This one was older, dark hair peppered with grey. “Ladies, please,” he said, gesturing for them to come out.

Ella and Eve glanced at each other. “What about Zira?” Ella asked.

The man smiled. “Mr. Fell will be joining us as well.”

Lacking much in the way of choice, they exited the van.

“You’re making a big mistake,” Eve said, glaring up at him. “Ella is with the police, and you have no idea what kind of friends we have.”

Ella closed her eyes as if summoning patience. “You’re not supposed to tell them that, Eve. Now they’re definitely going to kill us.”

The man smiled with amusement. “I think not, Miss Lopez.” He handed them back their passports. “We’ve already learned that you are LAPD. A bit out of your jurisdiction, are you not?”

Ella snatched her passport. “I’m on vacation.”

“Quite.” Then he looked at Eve. “I think you will find, Mother Eve, that we know exactly what kind of friends you have. Now, if you’ll follow me.”

By this point, Aziraphale had been carefully removed from the van and secured onto a wheelchair. They still weren’t taking chances, whoever they were: he was again bound by ankles and wrists, a collar attached to a steel rod rising from the back of the chair. Buckles held him in place at his torso, hips, and thighs. Ella and Eve followed with the group, though Ella glanced at her companion.

“Mother Eve?” she murmured.

Eve didn’t answer, her concern turning to genuine fear. They seemed to know who she was, which meant they weren’t overly cautious with Aziraphale: they knew what he was, if not exactly who. She had no idea who would be insane enough to abduct an angel of God. Also, Ella didn’t know about Aziraphale, Lucifer, or any of them. She bit her lower lip, worried.

They were in an underground loading dock. The area was empty of everything save for a truck with a shipping container, the kind found in shipyards, settled through a cargo door. They weren’t led very far. The room was large, probably meant to hold pallets of cargo to be loaded into trucks like the one in the door. There were people around the periphery of the room, quietly watching the proceedings. In the center, painted on the floor, was a complicated array of interlocking circles and geometric patterns, lit candles set at various points. One section of the design had no candles; this was where they took Aziraphale. Standing by was a man in blue and gold ritual robes, a lit candle in his hands. As the angel freed and set into the circle, he watched Aziraphale with a light in his eyes that was almost fanatical.

Their guide gestured to two chairs set just outside the series of circles. “Ladies, please sit.”

Ella ignored him, staring at the pattern painted onto the concrete floor. “What. The. Fuck.”

Eve was nearly panicking. Magic was a bit beyond her time, but she talked to everyone who entered the Silver City. Not many magicians did, as they tended to summon demons, thus earning their place in Hell, but ‘not many’ was still an astronomical number in Heaven. She recognized the pattern on the floor; it was a binding circle.

“Are you out of your mind? What do you want from him?” she said, nearly lunging for Aziraphale.

The gentleman took her arm. “Please, Mother Eve, sit. Do not make us tie you down.”

Ella grabbed Eve’s arm and dragged her back, sitting on the chairs. Satisfied, the gentleman turned to watch. “What is going on?” Ella hissed at Eve.

Before them, the two men releasing Aziraphale held him down while a third took a dagger and sliced Aziraphale’s palm, drawing blood. Finally, the bonds on his wrists were removed, and everyone scrambled back out of reach. The magician set down the burning candle, and the pattern painted on the floor immediately lit up a bright blue.

“Oh my God,” Ella nearly choked. “How are they doing that?”

“Magic,” Eve replied softly.

“But magic isn’t real.”

“Depends on the magic.”

“What are they doing?”

“Ella,” Eve said softly, putting her hand on the other woman’s arm. “It’s a binding circle. Aziraphale is an angel. They are trying to bind him.”

“Over a family joke?”

Eve had no idea what that meant. “It’s not a joke, Ella.” She took the other woman’s face and turned her to meet her gaze. “Ella, Aziraphale is an angel. Maze is a demon. Lucifer--”

“Stop,” Ella interrupted, starting to look a little wild. “Lucifer’s my friend. He’s good. It’s just a role.”

Before them, the magician began reciting in Latin. Aziraphale was finally moving around, pushing himself up on his elbows. He still looked befuddled, blinking slowly as he looked up at the magician. Then he turned and looked at the two women, eyes glassy and confused. “Ella?” he murmured thickly.

Ella turned her head and looked at him. Terror and panic seized her throat, and she kicked the gentleman behind his knee, the joint popping loudly, then lunged for Aziraphale. Two guards grabbed her as he screamed and pulled her back to the chair, her wrists taped down to the arms. The wounded man was removed from the room. All the while, the magician never stopped chanting, the bloody dagger in his hands. Aziraphale just blinked and reached out. When his hand touched the edge of the circle, the air glowed like a wall of light.

“I’m a forensic scientist,” Ella gasped to herself, watching Aziraphale struggle to come to his senses. “How can I not know magic is real?”

“It’s limited,” Eve assured her, putting her arm around Ella’s shoulders. “Please, Ella. We need to be calm now.”

Neither woman knew what the magician was saying. Aziraphale was trying to rise onto his hands and knees, but as the chanting continued, his expression slowly crumpled with pain. He started pawing at his throat, gasping and ripping at the cuffs on his sleeves.

Ella fought against the tape. “You’re hurting him!” she snarled.

Eve tried to soothe her. “Ella, they know,” she murmured.

“What are they doing?”

“The spell binds Aziraphale so that he has to obey their commands, to an extent.”

Ella looked at her, as did a few other humans who happened to overhear her. “An extent?”

Eve smiled slightly. “Aziraphale is not your average angel. A spell like this isn’t designed for him.”

Some of the guards shifted slightly, the tension in the room ratcheting. If the magician was concerned, he didn’t show it. He finished the spell, and yellow light seared around Aziraphale then disappeared, leaving him panting.

The magician paced around the circle, watching the woozy angel. Finally, he stopped and, with the toe of his shoe, snuffed out a candle. The blue light went out, leaving just the glowing marks.

“Tell me your name,” he ordered.

Aziraphale managed to sit up, looking at the man warily with his glassy eyes. “My name?” he repeated, words slurring a bit. “Aziraphale.”

“And your title?”

He looked confused. “Guardian of the Eastern Gate.”

“And your choir?”

“Principality.”

The fear around them shot up, the watching humans shuffling back even farther. It was clear they had not expected him to be that high in the Heavenly hierarchy. The magician just watched him, unconcerned.

“Are you the Aziraphale who was the handmaiden of Princess Cassandra of Troy?”

Aziraphale blinked slowly at him, trying to understand what was happening. “Cassandra? Yes.”

The magician nodded. “Then correct your gender.”

“I truly don’t understand what’s happening,” the angel said, rubbing his head.

“I have bound you so that you will obey. Correct your gender.”

“Correct… from what?”

“Angels don’t have genders,” Eve spoke up. “Your order is meaningless to him.”

“If he is the nymph that was Cassandra’s handmaiden, then he should be female.”

“It’s an appearance,” she insisted. “It doesn’t change anything about who or what he is.”

“She will be right!” the magician snarled. “And she will obey.”

“She,” Aziraphale snapped, “isn’t required to do anything.”

“Obviously you are, or you would have freed yourself by now.” The magician looked at the two women. “Very well. Break Miss Lopez’s legs at the knees. I’m sure Daniel will appreciate the retribution.”

“Wait!” Aziraphale protested. He rubbed at his head again. “Violence is unnecessary. I just need a moment. I don’t feel like myself.”

The magician held up a hand and, strangely, they all politely waited.

Aziraphale swallowed heavily and took a deep breath, then closed his eyes. His appearance slid into something curvy and plush that did not fit the clothes she was wearing. The change in her face was gentle, though her curves made the changes elsewhere more pronounced. She looked up at the magician.

He cocked his head, then gestured behind him. Someone came forward with what looked like a slender book that he opened and studied. “Hmm,” he hummed. “Longer hair. To your waist.”

“What?” Aziraphale huffed, but she did as commanded, the curls smoothing out into long loops of white. “I do hope this isn’t some ridiculous fantasy. If so, we are going to have a disagreement.”

The magician turned the book around. A carefully preserved image was sketched on papyrus of a woman with long, curling hair that looked precisely like Aziraphale.

The angel blinked. “Oh. It appears someone saw me.”

“Prince Helenus, twin brother of Cassandra, was also a seer,” the magician said. “It was his vision that said his sister’s snowy-haired handmaiden was a nymph that could lead the way to the Garden of the Hesperides.”

Aziraphale’s lips thinned, her expression dark. “Yes, so I was informed.”

“What the Hell is the Garden of Hesperides?” Ella snapped, struggling against the tape.

“The Hesperides were Greek nymphs that tended a tree with golden apples that were said to grant eternal life,” Eve answered. “It was guarded by a serpent named Ladon. But the Garden of the Hesperides isn’t real.”

“Oh, it is,” the magician replied. “Same as the golden apples of Idunn. It is one of the most common icons in world religions. We have found the original garden is, in fact, the Garden of Eden.” The magician smirked down at Aziraphale. “There is a guardian and a serpent and the Tree of Life. So, Aziraphale,” he crouched down before the angel, “where is the gate to Eden?”

Aziraphale said nothing, her eyes hard.

He nodded and looked over to the women. “Mother Eve?”

Ella looked at Eve as if just now understanding who she was. Aziraphale also looked at her impassively. Eve considered the situation hard. Aziraphale’s main job was to protect Eden so she would never reveal the location. She didn’t know about Mazikeen coming to their rescue, however, and so Eve needed to buy time.

“I don’t know exactly,” she said. “But it’s not far from where my son is buried.”

“Your son?” Ella asked, stunned.

Eve nodded, smiling faintly at her. “Yes, Abel. He’s around Çayönü Tepesi.”

Aziraphale peered at her, her gaze intent. The magician glanced at his assistant, who was already tapping away at a tablet, then he snapped his fingers to get Aziraphale’s attention. The angel primly raised her eyebrows.

“Is Eden near there?” he asked.

Aziraphale considered him for a moment. “Closer to there than to here, I’d say.”

The magician turned to the guards. “Put them in the shipping container. Make sure the angel has appropriate attire.”

Eve rushed over to Aziraphale to help her rise while the guards cut Ella free. The interior of the shipping container was lightly furnished with a cushion in one corner and a large mattress covered in lush blankets. Visible efforts had been made to keep Aziraphale comfortable in her mobile prison. A white dress was laid out on the bed, a coat set on the door’s cushion.

When the doors closed and locked in place behind them, Ella nearly fell trying to back away. “What is happening?” she said, her heart racing in panic. “Aziraphale… Zira…”

Aziraphale cautiously stepped forward, even as Ella flinched at her approach. “It’s alright, Miss Lopez. It’s just me.”

“But you turned into a woman. Unless you’re some species of frog, that doesn’t happen.”

“I am an angel, Miss Lopez. There is much I can change about myself.”

“You don’t have wings.” Even as she said it, she felt stupid, but the strange logic was the only thing saving her.

Aziraphale smiled slightly. “Would it help to see my wings, or would you panic further?”

“It can’t be real,” she insisted somewhat shrilly.

Aziraphale nodded, but after a moment, she started to frown. “Why can’t I…”

“Probably the binding,” Eve replied, stepping forward. She carefully pulled the bow-tie free and undid the first couple of buttons on Aziraphale’s shirt, revealing a golden collar around the bottom of her neck. Golden cuffs were also on her wrists and ankles. “You’re too powerful to have to obey, but your magic is limited. You won’t be able to make miracles or open your wings without permission.”

Aziraphale swallowed. She was hiding it well, but this close, the humans could see the pinch in her eyes, how her lips thinned. “I suppose I cannot show you my wings,” she said, pain etched into her voice. “I’m sorry.”

Ella scrubbed her face, trying to pull herself together. “Okay, existential crisis once we’re safe. First of all, do you still go by Aziraphale? What are your pronouns?”

Both Aziraphale and Eve blinked at her. “Well, yes, Aziraphale is still my name. Female pronouns are just fine, she and her.”

“You’re alright with that?” Eve asked.

“I’m displeased at being forced into this form instead of choosing it myself, but as you said, we haven’t genders. Appearing male is a habit; I was made with that appearance, and I feel little need to alter it. Either way, it’s usually important that I blend in as whatever gender I appear as so altering pronouns to match my appearance is fine with me.”

“So you’re okay?” Ella asked.

“Not at all, my dear, though I admit it has more to do with being abducted and bound than being forced to appear female.”

“You can just say ‘woman’,” Eve said, a bit amused.

Aziraphale looked at her, askance. “But I’m not a woman.”

“Perhaps we should just not get into these gender debates right now,” Ella cut in. “What about Eden?”

Eve and Aziraphale looked at each other. Some kind of question passed between them because the angel shook her head. “I’m sorry,” she said softly. “It’s my duty to protect Eden, my reason for existence. I cannot tell them.”

“Even after Heaven abandoned you?” Eve asked. “Shouldn’t they be trying to free you?”

“I’ve been abandoned, as you said, but Heaven didn’t give me this assignment, the Almighty did.”

“Wait, why would Heaven abandon you?” Ella asked.

Aziraphale sighed. “It is a long story, but the short of it is that Crowley and I helped to stop Armageddon some years ago.”

She gulped. “Armageddon?”

“As a result, we are both persona non grata.”

“Is Crowley an angel too?”

Aziraphale winced slightly. Eve glanced at the angel. “Crowley is Crawley, right? Then he’s the Serpent.”

“The… Serpent?” Ella asked breathlessly. “The Serpent of Eden?”

“Yes.” Aziraphale shook her head. “That is not important now. We have to figure out how to save the both of you.”

Eve leaned in, lowering her voice. “I called Maze,” she murmured. “I kept her on the phone as long as possible. If we can buy them time…”

“How are they supposed to know where we’re going?” Aziraphale asked.

“Maze is most likely going to tell Lucifer,” Eve said. “He’ll find us.”

“Wait,” Ella interrupted, fumbling in her jacket. She pulled out an old sheet of parchment. “Maybe this will help?”

Aziraphale nearly whined at the rough handling of parchment centuries old. “Is that the page from Mother Shipton? How can that help?”

Ella gave him an almost disappointed look. “Mother Shipton was a prophet, according to some. If you’re an angel, then a hidden page from a book of prophecy we found just before being abducted to do something against God’s edict sounds like a damn good place to start. But then again, I’m new to this magic thing, so what do I know?”

Aziraphale’s glance was reproachful, but she carefully took the page and unfolded it. She turned it upright and read it, then paled, all color rushing from her face.

“Aziraphale?” Eve said, grabbing her arm. “Are you okay?”

Ella took the page and read it as Aziraphale tried to steady herself. “Whoa.”

“What’s it say?”

She cleared her throat. “ _ Take them there, My fair daughter. Lead them where only you can travel; To the taste of fruit only you can pluck. _ ”

Ella’s eyes darted back up. “Wait. Is this…”

“What’s the chance it’s fake?” Eve asked Aziraphale.

She swallowed hard, eyes locked on the paper. “Even if it was planted in the book fairly recently, how could anyone have known the book would tear when it did? But I don’t understand.” Aziraphale took the page back from Ella. “He has never spoken to me, let alone called me His child. And these instructions are…” she hesitated a moment, searching for the right words, “Well, succinct, which has often not been the case as far as His messages go.”

Eve shrugged. “Yeah, fair point.”

Ella waved a hand for silence and took the parchment back. “Okay, first, Aziraphale needs to get changed; you’re about to burst out of that shirt.”

Aziraphale clutched the front of her shirt and waistcoat, a little alarmed. They certainly were not designed for the curves she currently had, and bursting buttons was a real possibility. She went to the mattress and picked up the white dress, studying it critically. She ran her fingers over the material, checked the design, and stared at the stitching. “This is well-made, actually,” she muttered. She looked hesitantly at Eve, who smiled and turned her back.

Through it all, Ella was pacing against the wall at the other end of the bed. “So, Mother Shipton’s book is an antique, yes?”

“The original publication was in 1641,” Aziraphale replied, muffled as she changed.

“But, this page isn’t that old.”

“I’d estimate it’s creation in the 19th Century. It’s also parchment from animal skins as opposed to paper, as the book is.”

“Whoever has abducted us could have used magic to plant the note, but they would have had no way to tell that we’d find it but also bring it with us. To get the instructions to Aziraphale, whoever planted it would have to know that the book would be out, that we would damage it, and that we would not only find the page but bring it with us.” Ella stopped, looking up at Eve. “That is way too much of a coincidence.” Suddenly, she froze. “Oh, wow.”

Eve turned then smiled with delight. The dress was white muslin with gold ribbon up under Aziraphale’s bosom. A pleated bodice secured her décolletage with tasteful lace that looked like white feathers. The skirts belled below the ribboned waistline, ending at her feet with a gentle train. Unfortunately, the gown showcased the golden collar and cuffs. With her hair unbound and cascading to her back, she looked stunning and slightly uncomfortable, hands fluttering around her breasts as if she wanted to cover them.

“I haven’t worn such a thing in a long time,” Aziraphale said. “I’d forgotten how revealing they can be.”

“There’s a coat on the cushion,” Ella pointed out, “but I’m not sure it’s going to help.”

“It’s alright, my dear,” Aziraphale assured. “Did you decide on the note?”

Ella looked back down at it. “It’s impossible for this to have been planted by a human, not if they expected us to find it when they did.”

“That was my conclusion as well,” Aziraphale said, taking the note. She reread it, frowning. “It says to take them there, but it doesn’t say I should give them the apples. I suspect that, for now, we should continue as is.”

“But you haven’t told them where to go,” Eve pointed out.

“Çayönü Tepesi is a start.”

“Where is that?” Ella asked.

“Southeastern Turkey, not far from the border of Syria. We need to give our demons time to find our trail.” She looked down at the page again. “Oh, dear. I do hope they can find us. I can’t think of any reason for them to think we are going to Eden.”

“Aziraphale,” Ella interrupted. She walked up to the angel, putting hands on her shoulders. “God left you a note in a book two hundred years ago. If we’re leaving this up to God, trust that He left them instructions or that they aren’t meant to find us.”

Aziraphale’s smile was faint. “You make a fine angel, Miss Lopez. You do realize that leaving it up to God could very well lead to our destruction?”

“Yeah, but I’ll take that change. What about you?” Ella held a hand up to Aziraphale and Eve. Aziraphale immediately took one. Eve laughed a little in delight and grasped the other.

“I’m looking forward to seeing Eden again,” she said.

“Yes,” Aziraphale replied softly. “Me too.”


	5. Chapter 5

_ Soho, London _

By the time Mazikeen arrived at Aziraphale’s bookshop with a duffel bag over her shoulder, Lucifer and Crowley were drunk enough that they could barely stand.

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” she said, dropping her bag.

Crowley batted at Lucifer, waving his other hand at Mazikeen. He seemed to be having trouble forming words with a serpent tongue.

“Oh, yes,” Lucifer purred, not sounding at all as drunk as he had seemed. “Time to sober up, pet.” He grinned at Mazikeen, absolutely unrepentant.

“Having fun?” she asked with a glare.

“I had to do something to keep him occupied,” he replied, rubbing the back of his neck as Crowley looked disgusted, sticking out his tongue. The Devil then pointed toward the window Crowley had repaired. “They probably shot in the window, though we didn’t find a bullet. It’s right across from the desk.”

“The Mother Shipton was damaged, though I don't know how,” Crowley added. His long fingers drifted gently over the book. “There aren't any other signs of struggle.”

“There is a tranquilizer dart that had ketamine in it,” Lucifer concluded, gesturing to the desk.

Mazikeen took it all in. Familiar with the bookshop’s layout from her bounty on them before, she went to the back door and opened it, the other two following. On the ground were the two smashed cell phones, left where they had been found. “We can check the sim cards to see if they belong to Ella and Eve, but it’s pretty safe to say they do,” she said.

Crowley picked them up and licked the air with his serpent tongue. “Definitely, Ella. I don’t know what this Eve smells like.”

“It’s Eve, Crowley,” Lucifer said, his voice tight with rage. “Our Eve.”

Crowley stared at him, startled. “She’s been dead for six thousand years.”

“Long story,” Mazikeen interrupted. She went back inside, pacing around. “We know nothing,” she snapped. “Based on what I heard over the phone, Aziraphale was the goal. He was tranqed with ketamine; Ella and Eve weren’t. That means they don’t believe he’s just a human bookseller.”

“Maybe I can help with that,” Amenadiel said, coming in from the back door. He was in his angelic tunic, his wings folding away. “I just came from Heaven. Aziraphale was put into a van and disappeared from tracking.”

“That was hours ago,” Lucifer nearly snarled. “Wasn’t anyone paying attention?”

“No. It’s how they justify allowing him to consort with demons. That and I’m pretty sure Gabriel is trying to pretend he doesn’t exist.”

“I’m going to keep him. How do I keep an angel without him Falling?”

“Lucifer,” Amenadiel said gravely over Crowley’s possessive hiss, “Father summoned me.”

Lucifer blinked, then he nearly scoffed. Before he could comment, however, Crowley snapped. “Who cares? Unless He plans to tell us where Aziraphale is, He can go play in another burning bush.”

“He did, actually,” Amenadiel replied dryly. He pulled a sheet of paper from a pocket. “Father said you would understand.” He held the paper out to Crowley.

The Serpent froze, staring at the page like it was a bowl full of holy water. “God gave you a message for… me?”

Mazikeen looked like she wanted to grab the note but wasn’t sure if it was safe. Lucifer huffed in derision. “How like dear old Dad to make things personal.” He grabbed the note and flipped it open, reading it. Then he frowned. “What?”

“The note is for Crowley. He said we wouldn’t understand it,” Amenadiel answered drolly.

Crowley hesitantly held out his hand and Lucifer passed the page to him. “‘Remember Prince Helenus’ words,’” he read. “Really?” It was kind of a let down.

“Who’s Prince Helenus?” Mazikeen asked.

“He was a prince of Troy, twin brother of the Prophetess Cassandra. You know the one who was cursed never to be believed. Helenus also had the Sight.” Crowley frowned. “That was three thousand years ago. What does that have to do with now?”

“It’s God, Crowley,” Amenadiel said firmly. “Perhaps try to listen.”

“Because He’s often forthcoming in the conversations He doesn’t have with me.”

“So you were there at Troy?” Mazikeen asked.

“Just for the war. Aziraphale was there from the day Cassandra was cursed. He was her handmaiden.” Suddenly, Crowley frowned. “Wait. Helenus was captured by the Greeks and he had no problem prophesizing for them. On the day we did the horse thing, Helenus warned everyone that his sister’s handmaiden was a nymph with white hair, and that she could lead them to the Garden.”

“Eden?” Mazikeen asked.

“The Greeks didn’t know about Eden. More likely they were thinking about that myth they had, the Garden of the Hesperides, nymphs who care for the Tree of Life.”

“Same thing,” Amenadiel replied.

“But Eden doesn’t exist anymore,” Crowley muttered, puzzled.

Lucifer and Amenadiel stared at each other. “Truly, Brother?” Lucifer sneered.

“He has kept the secret for six thousand years,” Amenadiel countered.

“Eden still exists?” Crowley was startled.

“Aziraphale is the Guardian of the Eastern Gate, which is the path to the Tree of Life,” Lucifer said. “Only he can open the way to Eden.”

“So Helenus was right,” Mazikeen cut in. “But like Crowley said, that was three thousand years ago. Anyone who remembered that wouldn’t need the fruit of this tree.”

Amenadiel sighed. “They’re called the Seekers of the East. We don’t know how, but they learned that Aziraphale was the name of the being who could open the way, Cassandra’s handmaiden I suppose. The Home Office tracked them, but never considered them a concern.”

“What, because they were obsessed with Aziraphale?” Crowley hissed. “He’d not important enough to protect, even though he guards the way to Eden?”

“Definitely keeping him,” Lucifer affirmed.

“We have two options, alright?” Mazikeen interrupted. She looked at Crowley. “What is Aziraphale’s metabolism like?”

“Aziraphale has a metabolism?”

She rolled her eyes. “When you’re drinking, how long does it take for him to sober up?”

“As long as he wants,” Crowley replied acidly. “We can do miracles, remember?”

“I hate you.” She sighed, thinking. “A dose of ketamine high enough to tranq a human can last an hour or so before they can start to move. If Crowley doesn’t know Aziraphale’s metabolism, they certainly won’t so they’ll be careful. Extra ketamine and a location they can take him to well within that hour.”

“That isn’t exactly a small area,” Crowley snarked.

“We also know where they’re going,” she continued.

“Except none of us know where Eden is,” Lucifer pointed out.

“No, but you both know where it was.”

Crowley pulled off his sunglasses. “I don’t know how young you are but there has been six thousand years and a pretty extensive flood since Eden.”

“You have spent six thousand years making heart-eyes at the guardian,” Mazikeen snarked back. “He’s never spoke of Eden? Not once?”

Crowley wanted to hiss again, but he needed to pause and think. Aziraphale’s existence might be on the line. “The point remains that Aziraphale wouldn’t tell them, not even to save Eve, or Ella.”

“Ah,” Amenadiel interrupted awkwardly. “Father said that Aziraphale also had his instructions.”

There was a long silence as the three demons stared at him. “This is where you enlighten us on those instructions,” Mazikeen pointed out.

“He didn’t say.”

“So that was actually not helpful at all. Lovely.” Crowley sank into a chair, trying to think.

“If Father has given Aziraphale instructions to guide the humans to Eden, it must be your job to save them,” Amenadiel said.

All three demons burst out into complaint.

“ _ Our _ job?” Mazikeen repeated.

“Why have Aziraphale take them there in the first place?” Crowley scowled.

“This is just like dear old Dad,” Lucifer snarked, leaning back in his chair.

“Can we not mock the Almighty right now?” Crowley snapped at him.

“Crowley’s right,” Mazikeen agreed. “Daddy issues or not, we need to find our people.” She looked sideways at the ginger Fallen. “So, Eden?”

Crowley let his head fall back, staring up at the ceiling in the bookshop. He closed his eyes, letting his mind wander.

“Is he sleeping?” Mazikeen asked dryly.

“Crowley is not much younger than Amenadiel or myself,” Lucifer replied, picking up his drink. “That’s a long memory to pour through for scraps from a tight-lipped guardian.”

Crowley let the rest of the conversation wash over him as he tried to remember anything Aziraphale had said. “Water,” he finally blurted. He lifted his head. “It used to be a desert around Eden. When I mentioned it, Aziraphale told me the area around it had flooded. He also mentioned that there was a small cove to the East.”

“So an island near the Persian Gulf,” Mazikeen said.

“No. That’s where the rivers end. Eden is where they begin, in around Turkey I think,” Amenadiel corrected.

Mazikeen glanded over the three of them then pulled out her phone.

“Your mobile is going to find Eden?” Crowley asked.

She ignored him, pulling up the most likely area and searching for an island. “This is the only island with a cove to the East. There doesn’t appear to be anything on it, maybe some farm land.”

Crowley took her phone and studied it. He frowned slightly. “Yeah, that’s it.”

“Then why are you frowning?”

“Because I don’t know how I know that,” he answered. “But I also don’t care right now.”

“Gaziantep has the closest international airport,” Mazikeen added, taking her phone back.

“You could travel through Hell to get there,” Amenadiel suggested.

The three demons looked at each other and nodded. “Aziraphale will still need to guide them from the airport. Travelling through Hell will shave hours off their lead. But we need to come out near the airport so we can try to stop them before Aziraphale opens the gate,” Mazikeen said.

Crowley frowned. “We don’t know that’s the right airport. It’s not as if they knew ahead of time where they were going.”

“Do you have any means with which to track Aziraphale?” Lucifer asked Crowley.

“I haven’t collared him,” Crowley scoffed. “I know his scent, but I’m not a bloody hound.”

Lucifer reached out for Mazikeen’s phone and studied the terrain. “There is a town that is separated from the island by a sliver of the lake. We can appear there and get passage. We might be able to take vehicles as well, like a couple of motorbikes.”

“If not, we’re going to lose time by walking,” Mazikeen pointed out.

“We can also fly,” Crowley added.

“Maze, how do you want to do it?” Lucifer asked.

The bounty hunter sat back, thinking. “We won’t have a lot of room to hide, but with Crowley’s miracles, we should be able to manage. Let’s go through Hell directly to the town and cross.”

Lucifer turned to Amenadiel. “You might want to let Linda and the Detective know what is happening. If you hear anything more from Dad, let us know.”

Amenadiel nodded and rose with Lucifer. Crowley and Mazikeen followed them out the back where the angel took flight. Lucifer offered his demons his hands.

“Crowley’s first sight of the real Hell.” Lucifer grinned at his ginger demon.

Crowley tried to hide his worry for Aziraphale and his anxiety. He grasped Lucifer’s hand just as Mazikeen did and all three sank into the Earth.


	6. Chapter 6

_ Mid-transit, Location Unknown _

Time lost meaning in the shipping container. It was hard to say how long after they had given a starting location that the box was moved with the two women and the angel still inside. Aziraphale had pulled them down onto the mattress to protect them from falling into the steel walls. Food was brought to them twice that day, and once they were on a plane, there was a set schedule that Eve and Ella were let out to clean up or relieve themselves. Aziraphale was never released from her cage. The angel was kept bound and locked away, everyone’s fear of her palpable.

Through it all, Ella was very quiet, lost in her own thoughts. Aziraphale understood the shock she was probably in and left her alone. She trusted that, if Ella wanted to talk to her, the woman would make her desire known. Eve didn’t have the same reluctance, as she’d always known about angels and demons and didn’t understand the shock. Also, the people she’d met over the millennia were in Heaven, so arguing about divine existence had been sort of moot. Eve chose to curl up against Aziraphale, causing the angel to stiffen in surprise. Aside from giving away her sword, she had never interacted with Eve in Eden, so her affection was surprising.

Eve carefully braided Aziraphale’s long hair, asking about her participation in various events throughout history. It wasn’t unusual for Aziraphale to not be there (“I’m not really the sort to bless a battle, but I did nudge a little on the Bayeaux Tapestry,”). Still, when she was, she often had opinions (“understandable, but a waste of perfectly good tea, that was”).

Aziraphale was in the middle of telling the story of Crowley’s rescue during the French Revolution when Ella finally spoke up. “You killed that man?”

“I did not,” the angel replied firmly. “I merely switched coats with him. It was the Revolutionaries that killed him.”

“But you knew they would execute him.”

“Not necessarily. If he was the prolific executioner he made himself out to be, it was entirely possible for his people to recognize him. I would say that incident effectively demonstrates how bloodlust can blind one to their own allies.”

Ella stared at him. “Twisting the issue doesn’t change it.”

“No twisting, Miss Lopez,” Aziraphale replied calmly. “All I did was switch a coat, and possibly not say anything when they dragged him away. He was a murderer who took pleasure in executing the aristocracy, but he slaughtered others as well. The nobility were not the only ones executed during the Reign of Terror, and taking such pleasure in the pageantry of ending a life is deplorable at best and damning at worst. But perhaps most importantly, Miss Lopez, it was an act of free will on behalf of the Revolutionaries. It was their choice to execute him, not mine.”

“What about you, hanging around demons?”

Aziraphale looked off, considering the question. Eve broke in before she could reply. “What is the crime in knowing who someone is and loving them for it?”

Ella bristled, but before she could snap back, Aziraphale interrupted. “You are not going to Hell because you are fond of Lucifer, Miss Lopez,” she said softly but firmly. “You have a good heart, and that does not change because he’s your friend. The same holds true for Det. Decker and Dr. Martin. You are all good people, and he is better for knowing you. Caring about someone, loving them, that can never damn you. It is your actions that control your destiny, and as I understand it, you are very commendable. It’s not everyone that can have the Devil’s adoration while offering him nothing but friendship in return.”

“What about you? How are you friends with him?”

Aziraphale grimaced at the question. “Well, I’m not, you see. Not precisely. I am more like a subordinate except I’m not bound to him and am certainly not of Hell.”

“He called you his little brother when I spoke to him,” Eve pointed out.

Aziraphale’s brow furrowed. “He says that to other people?”

Eve nodded, grinning at the angel.

“That’s not precisely accurate. Amenadiel is his brother. I’m just an angel, one who happens to have caught his attention and approval.”

“What do you mean by bound?” Ella asked.

Aziraphale shifted, leaning back against the wall. “Those that Fell with Lucifer are bound to him. He can command and control them. If he wanted to, Lucifer could force Crowley to obey him, do whatever he desired, and Crowley would be deliriously happy to please him. As I am not Fallen, Lucifer cannot do such a thing to me. Still, he’s immensely powerful.”

Ella still looked conflicted, so Aziraphale leaned forward, catching her attention. “Miss Lopez, Lucifer is a jailor. His duty is to punish those who have decided by the guilt that haunts their souls that they are worthy of punishment. He does not try to tempt humans or damn them. In fact, Crowley has encouraged more people to slip into damnation than Lucifer has. I won’t say he’s a good man as I expect he’d be insulted, but your affection for him is certainly not misplaced. Remember that he is a son of God and that, as I understand it, the Almighty loves him very much.”

“But do you like him?” Ella asked.

Aziraphale hesitated, seeming almost uncomfortable having to analyze her feelings for Lucifer. “I have not had your benefit of meeting him before I knew who he was. He is… a charming fellow. He grows on you. He’s also far more pleasant than any other demon I’ve met, except for Crowley, of course.”

“I don’t remember Crowley being pleasant,” Eve interjected. “He was sneaky and smooth. Lucifer was charming and dangerous.”

“You have your preferences and I’ll have mine,” Aziraphale sniffed.

“So wait. You’re married to a demon?” Ella asked, astonished. “God’s okay with that?”

“Ah.” Aziraphale blushed. “Well, actually, I’m… well, we’re not married. Dr. Martin and Det. Decker thought that would be the easiest story believed, as well as Crowley being Lucifer’s cousin. That is also not true.” Ella opened her mouth, but Aziraphale held up a hand. “That’s not to say that Crowley and I aren’t… I suppose you would call us an item? I love him very much, and I know that he loves me. As for the Almighty’s opinion, He has not chosen to express any, so we can only live our lives until He decides otherwise.”

“It’s kind of romantic, really,” Eve sighed. “You were both at Eden. Six thousand years and all that time, growing closer, then fighting both Heaven and Hell during Armageddon.”

“Yeah, you mentioned that,” Ella said, her voice thready.

“They stopped it about eight years ago now.”

“The Antichrist chose to stop it,” Aziraphale corrected.

“Whatever.”

Ella made an alarmed noise in her throat and dug her hands into her hair. Aziraphale was considered leaving her alone, tempted to try taking a nap until an elbow rammed her hard in her ribs. “Ow!” She held her side and gave Eve a reproachful look. Eve nodded deliberately to Ella. Aziraphale knew full well what Eve was suggesting and wanted to protest. She really was not that kind of angel.

Another hard jab and Aziraphale quietly sighed to herself. “Miss Lopez?” When Ella looked up, Aziraphale somewhat awkwardly opened her arms. Ella made a desperate noise and scrambled over, hugging Aziraphale tightly.

“I’ve handled a lot of stuff in my life, you know?” she said, trembling against the angel. “I’ve been places, and I’ve made my life better. I did that, and I always thanked God for it, you know? And now everything is just crazy, and I can take it. Really! One of my best friends is a ghost! Angels? Sure! Demons? I can handle it! But Lucifer… he’s just so sweet! How is he the Devil? How? He’s my friend! Do I turn him away?”

_ Ghost? _ Eve mouthed to Aziraphale. She just shook her head. Ella’s spirit was Azrael, the Archangel of Death, and she was not about to spoil that surprise.

“What do you think you should do?” Aziraphale asked Ella softly.

“The Bible says to cast unclean spirits away,” she replied. “But Lucifer gets such a bad rap, man. I used to be a criminal! I reformed.”

“Demons cannot be reformed,” the angel answered. “But I think that not all of them have the same evil at heart. For example, I once saw Crowley change the paintball guns in a battle into assault rifles.”

Ella jerked back, horrified. “What? That’s, like, the definition of evil, Aziraphale. He killed people!”

“He would argue that they killed each other, except that no one died. He made sure that everyone miraculously survived.”

Eve frowned. “What was the point?”

“Well, now all of those people know that, given the opportunity, they are the type who would kill their coworkers.”

Ella blinked. “So, a seeming evil act wasn’t evil, it just revealed the evil in others.”

“Crowley rarely does anything bad. He just encourages wrath in others. His temptations simply set up a human to make a decision. Usually, the decision is for ill. A person can only be damned by their own actions.”

“And Lucifer?”

Aziraphale sighed, looking off as she considered her words. “His power is centered on desire, but he also doesn’t encourage or discourage sin. It’s a soul’s own guilt that damns them. The Fallen tempt humans to sin, but that isn’t by Lucifer’s orders. They are his prisoners as much as the human souls are, and they are bitter about it.”

“Is Crowley bitter?”

“Humans didn’t damn Crowley, the Almighty did. He doesn’t have anything against humans. Most of us, angels and demons alike, have little concern over humans one way or another. Armageddon was desired as an opportunity to end the contest between Heaven and Hell. Humans were merely collateral damage. Everyone wanted Armageddon, including Lucifer, though he didn’t have much choice.”

“Did you want the end of the world?” Ella asked, sounding small.

“Well, no. Crowley and I like this world and our lives in it. We wanted to save it.”

“This is really confusing,” Ella admitted. “Just… how do you excuse being friends with Crowley?”

“Oh, I’m far more than friends with him,” Aziraphale murmured. “He has his good side, but mostly, I no longer try to justify it. I love him, and he treats me better than Heaven ever did. God will always come first, but Crowley is an immediate second. The rest of existence trails behind. If God objects, He is quite capable of making that known.”

“But that’s just it! You’ll know if God is upset with you. You can talk to Him.”

“As can you. This is what faith is. Miss Lopez, my dear, think about your friend, Lucifer. Consider who he is, how he has treated you, and what parts you have shared with him.”

Ella hesitated, but then nodded slowly. “Okay.”

“Is there anything there that you feel in your heart God would object to?”

Ella’s eyes filled with tears. “No.”

“Lucifer does not lie. He will not trick you. He has been honest all along. Lucifer, Crowley, and Mazikeen will not hurt you. Any other demon, stay far away and invoke your protection. That includes myself and Amenadiel.”

There was a long silence before Eve broke it. “I’m dying to know what Crowley’s like. You were so serious back in Eden, minus the whole sword thing. I can’t imagine you falling for that smooth snake.”

Aziraphale’s cheeks pinked slightly. “‘Smooth’ is not quite how I would describe Crowley.”

“Playful maybe,” Ella popped in, grateful for the distraction.

“He is good at what he does, but he is not so cruel as most demons. Playful, I think, could be a good word for it.”

“What does he look like?” Eve asked eagerly.

Ella was far more enthusiastic to gossip than Aziraphale. “He’s about six feet tall, lanky, with sunglasses and dark red hair that likes to stick up. He’s kinda loose-limbed and walks somewhere between a lazy sashay and a saunter. I can’t even describe it.”

“What about his eyes?” Eve asked.

Aziraphale interrupted. “Miss Lopez has not seen Crowley’s eyes. However, you have, my dear.”

Eve blinked. “Sure, as a snake.”

“They are precisely the same.”

“Really?” both women asked, intrigued.

After a moment, Ella spoke up again. “Aziraphale,” she asked, sounding hesitant again. “If we do get to the site, what’s going to happen?”

She considered the question for a moment. “Eden is no longer of this world, but it is not in Heaven either. It is lit by the Lord’s light, so you’ll probably see things as they truly are or closer to it.” She looked at Ella. “When the time comes, you may want to consider closing your eyes.”

“Are we talking pillar of salt?”

“Unlikely, but possibly insanity. Eve can be your eyes.”

“Why does she get to see?” Ella whined.

Aziraphale’s brow furrowed. “Is that a serious question?”

“I’ve lived in Heaven and have seen every type of angel. I won’t go insane from divine ecstasy,” Eve replied.

“Oh, yeah. Sometimes I forget you’re that Eve.”

“Really? Because we were just talking about the Serpent of Eden and how she has seen his eyes,” Aziraphale noted dryly.

Ella shoved him with a shoulder. “Don’t be such a punk.”

After their long conversation, which Aziraphale found to be exhausting, Ella seemed to relax. She still looked a bit wild around the eyes, particularly if Lucifer was mentioned, but otherwise, she seemed determined to pretend all was normal. When they grew tired, Ella and Eve curled up together on the mattress to sleep, the two insisting Aziraphale join them. She would rather stay awake and guard them, but Eve merely pointed out that, bound by the spell, there was little she could do defensively. They pulled her in between them, and Aziraphale found it strange to be surrounded by the two women, but it was almost as warm as Crowley, and they did smell nice.

The plane landed while they were asleep, waking them. The three had expected to be released upon arrival, but the shipping container was loaded onto another truck. Aziraphale pulled the blue coat off of the cushion and fastened herself into it. It framed her bosom, the buttons starting under her breasts and proceeding down the torso to her waist. There it parted and flared, revealing the muslin dress underneath. They hadn’t given Aziraphale any shoes, which she considered to be rather rude. She sat on the cushion, the sense memory of wearing a dress causing her body to sit upright, shoulders back. There she waited, eyes distant, very still.

Ella got up and leaned against the wall next to her. Aziraphale indeed looked like an angel like this, but it hurt to see the gold bands and know what they are. “Are you okay?” she asked softly.

Aziraphale flashed her a thin, empty smile. “I have my orders, and I will follow them.”

“That isn’t really an answer.”

“My feelings on the matter are irrelevant.”

“Not to me. And I dare you to tell me that I don’t matter.”

Aziraphale finally looked up at Ella, blinking as if she was just now seeing her. The new smile was still faint but far more genuine. “Thank you, my dear. I am…” she considered her words, “as well as can be. I merely want for this all to be over.”

“It’s like the shittiest girls’ night ever,” Ella agreed.

The smile grew. “It definitely requires more alcohol.”

“And where are the hot dudes we can make out with? Then again, we do have each other.” Ella’s grin was wicked.

Eve laughed. “There’s not enough drugs and guns for that.”

Aziraphale cocked her head. “I believe I sense a story.”

“Well--” The truck pulled to a stop, and Ella grimaced. “Maybe later.”

There was the sound of movement and weapons being readied, then a ramp being pulled free. Finally, the door was opened, and the magician stood there. Aziraphale rose, her expression calm and impassive. The magician’s cold eyes flickered over her before he beckoned her forward. “We are five miles outside of Çayönü Tepesi. Time for you to decide if you’re going to behave.”

Before Aziraphale could decide how to respond, Ella snorted. “She’s not a dog, asshole.”

Aziraphale glanced back at her, raising a hand in hopes it would keep further belligerence silent. She looked around at the oppressively hot land around them. “To the West of us, there is a lake with an island. There is some cultivated land, but it’s mostly empty. On the Eastern side of the island, there is a small inlet, the shore in the shape of a crescent. The gate is in that cove.”

The technician next to the magician tapped at the tablet then showed his results. The magician looked it over, then nodded. “We won’t be able to take the shipping container. Make arrangements for a vessel that will allow us to bring enough guards and have the container cleaned for the return trip.” He looked up at Aziraphale. “Thank you for being agreeable. Back inside now.”

Aziraphale’s expression was unreadable as she stared at him a few seconds. However, she primly hiked her skirts and walked back into the container.

“Well, he’s a dick,” Ella said, not bothering to lower her voice.

“I’m pretty sure we’ve already established that,” Eve agreed.

Once the door to the container was closed, Ella spoke a bit softer, looking at Aziraphale. “Babe, I don’t think he intends to let you go.”

Aziraphale sat back onto the cushion and gave her a thin, unhappy smile. “No, he does not.”


	7. Chapter 7

_ Kiraçlar, Lake Keban, Turkey _

The demons made their way through the manly twisting tunnels and paths in Hell. When he was satisfied with their location, Lucifer wrapped an arm around Mazikeen’s waist, and they surfaced with Crowley into a heat that might have been intense if they hadn’t just left Hell.

Mazikeen glanced around, reorientating herself. Lucifer was already walking toward a fisherman with a boat. A smile, some choice words, and a confessed desire had them crossing the lake. The fisherman seemed aware of their supernatural nature and almost aggressively avoided them as he took them to the island. The moment they were off his vessel, he dug through a box and strung an Evil Eye pendant around his neck, praying as he pushed off the shore. Ordinarily, Crowley might enjoy taunting the human, but he was antsy to find Aziraphale. He looked around, trying to find something familiar, but it was nearly impossible. Six thousand years and a catastrophic flood really did change things.

“The cove should be up North,” Mazikeen said, studying her phone.

Crowley was too impatient to walk it, nor did he think any humans would look above. He spread his inky wings and launched into the air; Lucifer picked up Mazikeen and followed.

The land was arid desert, without shelter for miles. The cove was beautiful, the water clear, and the shore forming sand bars in the low tide. Crowley landed at the inlet entrance, staring hard at the surprisingly deep water inside as Lucifer and Mazikeen landed beside him.

“Doesn’t exactly scream paradise, now does it?” Lucifer observed, shielding his eyes as he looked around.

Crowley hissed, frustrated. “There’s nowhere to hide.”

“Depends on how long you can hold your breath,” Mazikeen replied. She walked to the edge of the cove, peering down into the water. “How well do you swim as a snake?”

Crowley stared at her, then also looked into the water. “You want me to do what now?”

“Look, a serpent your size coming out of the water will be enough to distract any guards or mercenaries they have. At least Ella and Eve can run so we can focus on saving Aziraphale without getting our humans killed.”

“And what are you two going to do while I hold my breath?”

Mazikeen looked around, then grinned wickedly. She looked at Lucifer. “You’re not going to like this.”

“Is anyone shocked?” he snarked back.

“We can make shallow beds in the land a little ways back, and Crowley can cover us up with dirt and sand so that we’re hidden.”

“You want to bury us?”

Crowley snorted. “Yeah, I definitely pick the water.”

* * *

_ Dürümlü, Lake Keban, Turkey _

It seemed like hours and yet no time at all before the door to the shipping container was opened again. The magician stood in the doorway with two armed guards. As Aziraphale rose, their captor gestured to Ella and Eve. “Humans first.”

The two women looked over at the angel, who flashed them a weak smile. It was in no way reassuring, but they stood. The magician stepped aside to let them out and followed them down the ramp. Then one of the guards spoke.

“Approach slowly and keep your hands where we can see them.”

Her eyebrows went up as she huffed, insulted by how poorly she was being treated. Of course, she wouldn’t expect a captor to treat her well, but she’d never been handled like an alien creature by humans before, even in the beginning when they knew what she was. She had a broad array of mixed feelings about it. Despite her displeasure and burning desire to go home, she followed their instructions to the letter. Shooting her would not be helpful to them since she would be cast back to the Home Office and likely freed of their spell while she awaited a new corporation. Obviously, that would be very bad for her considering her current standing with Heaven, but these humans didn’t know that, and it certainly wouldn’t help them get what they wanted. She wasn’t sure how the armed guards were supposed to help. But as she passed the two, her hands on her skirts to walk down the ramp, she noticed one guard each on Ella and Eve. The threat was immediately understood by the soldier part of her brain: they wouldn’t start by shooting her. Ordinarily, though it would break her heart, the threat of harm to the two humans wouldn’t keep her compliant. The note tucked into the pocket of her coat was the only thing keeping her pleasant.

As she walked down the ramp, two more guards trained their rifles on her, leaving her with four of the eight present. The magician’s assistant was standing by, tablet tucked into a messenger back and walkie-talkie in his hand, communicating with the team on board.

When Aziraphale reached the bottom of the ramp, the four guards framed her. The magician looked her over, appearing terribly pleased. “Load her onto the yacht.

The guards walked her over to a long dock where a trawler yacht was moored. It wasn’t as large as she had come to expect of yachts, but it certainly was no fishing boat. She was led through the galley and down some stairs to a single cabin. One guard stood inside with her, his back to the closed door, the other left standing outside of it. It made her extremely nervous about being trapped inside the small room with the guard. She glanced around. There were a bedside table and a stripped mattress. With nothing else to do, Aziraphale sat on the bed, setting her back against the wall and closing her eyes, ignoring the guard.

Above, Ella and Eve were guided into the galley. Two guards stood flanking the pilot, another two at the door to the deck, and four planted around the deck. The magician smiled at the two ladies.

“I understand how you may not expect comfort from me, but do make yourselves at home. The trip shouldn’t be long now.”

“Where’s Aziraphale?” Ella immediately snapped.

“She is down below in a cabin. Don’t worry about her.” The smile flickered to something unpleasantly amused. “She is far more valuable than either of you.” He walked over to the pilot, giving instructions to head out.

Eve pulled Ella down at the table. “I feel like we should be trying to get more information,” she said quietly. “We don’t know who these people are or who they work for, but does it even matter at this point?”

“Information always matters,” Ella murmured back. She took a moment to observe the magician. “Hey, sparkle-fingers!”

The man glanced at her, one eyebrow quirked. “I beg your pardon?”

“Well, it’s not like I know your name.”

“Nor will you. It is unnecessary.”

“Then you’re stuck with sparkle-fingers, unless you prefer asshole. You can at least tell us about your organization. How did you even know about Aziraphale?”

He considered both of them for long enough that they expected he’d refuse. Then he approached and sat opposite them. “Very well. We are the Seekers of the East.”

“Really? That’s corny,” Ella snarked.

“Perhaps, but it is an organization that has existed since the Fall of Troy over three thousand years ago.”

She nodded. “Okay, you get points on staying power. What’s your mission statement?”

“Our mission is to find the being known as Aziraphale and use what means are available to have her lead us to the Tree of Life.”

“That part we did get,” Ella admitted. “What about this prophecy you mentioned? I’m a little unclear on that.”

He explained Helenus’ prophecy to them, which was pretty much the same as Aziraphale’s version. “How could you possibly know that nymph was Aziraphale?”

“We’ve known since the beginning; one of the founders had sketched her. Finding her was not always easy, since she usually appears male, and she often wanders the world. There are those of us who spent their lives tracking her and those who have studied what she is and how we might protect ourselves from her.”

“You mean how to control her,” Ella corrected acidly.

The magician was unperturbed, even amused at Ella’s ire. “The same thing, really. Some within the organization who believe we should be respectful of the angel and simply ask her to take us to Eden. If it were meant to be so easy, then the Tree would not have been locked away.”

“You’re hurting her.”

“She is an angel; she cannot be harmed by us in any meaningful way.”

“So what happens once she opens the gate to Eden?” Ella asked.

“Then I will have her take me to the Tree of Life.”

“You know, Cain was immortal,” Eve spoke up. She had been listening intently, letting Ella do all of the talking. “He was miserable. But he found a way to break the curse. You never will.”

It was strange how such a calm comment from the Mother of Humanity felt terrifying. The magician seemed unconcerned by her observation. “Perhaps he didn’t know how to use it. You may want to take this opportunity to eat. I’m unsure how long we will be on the island.” He rose and went to his assistant.

It didn’t take very long to find the cove in question, although calling it a cove might have been generous. It was probably four hundred feet across, the waters deeper and darker than along the shore. It wasn’t easy to disembark: the tide was high, but sandbars lined the shore. The decision was made to enter the inlet where the waters were deepest and disembark there. Again, Aziraphale was surrounded by guards, but this time, so were Ella and Eve. Four guards flanked them as well as they all settled onto the shore, and the trawler left to be recalled when they were finished.

The magician looked at Aziraphale. “Now what?”

Aziraphale swallowed hard, deeply uneasy now that they were here. A part of her wondered if that note really did come from God, but who else could it have been? That note had called her’ daughter’...

Aziraphale walked to the mouth of the cove, the guards trailing her and the magician by her side. She moved to the edge of the drop-off, her skirts daintily lifted.

“Aziraphale,” the magician said, a warning in his voice.

Aziraphale ignored him and stepped forward, onto the water. Then she paused, looking back at him. She reluctantly offered him her hand. In her grasp, he was also able to step out onto the surface of the water. She walked into the center of the cove’s mouth, then smartly turned to face the circle of water. She began to walk into the inlet. Guards paced her along the shore, rifles up as she moved, eyes half-closed as if she was listening to something. About halfway across the water, it started to ripple under her, forcing her to pause, eyes widening. She looked around, then down into the water before something erupted from the surface. At first, the shape made no sense, but then it stilled and faced the humans on the shore. The enormous pillar was a red and black snake with sulfur-yellow eyes. It arched and hissed, displaying fangs as tall as a human. The magician grabbed Aziraphale, one arm above her breasts, the other around her waist.

Ella jerked back, tumbling to the ground. “Holy shit!” she squeaked in terror.

Eve was right beside her, breathless in awe and fear. “Wow. He’s grown.”

The Seekers of the East, however, did not seem shocked or afraid. In fact, all of the guards turned their rifles onto Eve and Ella.

Aziraphale had been momentarily shocked, unaware that Crowley could reach such a size. Then she reached for the serpent, but the magician was holding her back.

The snake stared at them for a long moment. This was not going the way Mazikeen had said it would go down. He considered the humans then turned, curling so that he could face Aziraphale. His eyes focused on the magician, and he nearly hissed, furious that this human had his arms around his angel. “What was your plan?” he asked as softly as he could in Adamic, voice dusty and sibilant. He didn’t want the human to know what he was saying. 

“I have to open the gate,” she replied, desperately wanting to hold Crowley. “I can’t explain right now.”

“You want us to back off?” he asked, surprised.

“Just make sure that Eve and Miss Lopez are safe.”

Crowley hesitated. He could do that, but he didn’t want to leave Aziraphale. He reared back slightly, tongue flicking.

Consternation erupted amongst the guards as their weapons were replaced with balloons. That was when Mazikeen appeared. She and Lucifer had been tucked away a few yards back. It didn’t take long for the armed demon to incapacitate all of the guards.

Eve hurried to Mazikeen, throwing her arms around her. “Maze. I’m so glad you’re here.”

Lucifer approached Ella, a small smile on his face. “Well, well, Miss Lopez. Fancy finding you out here.”

Ella couldn’t help but flinch slightly. Lucifer paused, stopping his approach. Ella saw the briefest flash of disappointment and hurt cross his face.

“So, that’s that then,” he said, a false smile trying to hide the pinched look in his eyes.

He was hurt because of Ella. Ella had the power to hurt the Devil. No, she decided: she could hurt her friend. She made a noise low in her throat and rushed forward, throwing her arms around Lucifer.

He hesitated only a moment, surprised, then put his arms around her, hugging her tightly.


	8. Chapter 8

_Lake Keban, Turkey_ ; _the gate of Eden_

The magician gripped Aziraphale painfully tight, obviously unhappy about the turn of events. He pulled a pistol from the small of his back and shoved the muzzle into the angel’s waist. “The Tree,” he growled, tone tinged with desperation.

Aziraphale swallowed but continued walking forward across the cove. The Serpent paced them, watching the magician with unblinking eyes. It was close to the shore that Aziraphale paused a moment, seemingly studying something no one saw before she reached high with one hand and tapped the air. A spot of light appeared where she touched, then split away, streaking up and down. The line of gold parted, drawing back like curtains. When the glow of the light shone over the enormous Serpent, he convulsed, hunching and twisting up as if in agony. The waters stayed perfectly smooth as he thrashed and shrank in on himself. Finally, all that was left was a bundle of black on top of the glass-like water. The black shifted, pulling back, leaving Crowley on his knees and causing both human women to gasp. Crowley was dressed as he usually did, but his hands and feet ended in claws. The sunglasses were gone, showing serpentine eyes that were yellow from end to end. Scales covered his feet and hands, thin strips swirling over his neck. There were also strange pinpricks of sucking darkness all over his body, like tiny black holes. They dotted his face and hair and dusted through his feathers, giving the demon a vague, almost nebulous appearance.

“Are you alright, my dear?” Aziraphale asked in concern. She was standing before the gate, which turned out to be an archway that framed the rest of the inlet. She was also bathed in the golden light that now illuminated the cove. She held a long scepter of wooden vines in her hands, twisting together and caging a sparkling emerald at the top. The other end came to a point that looked sharp enough to impale. On her head was a crown made of the same woven wood, the spires garnered with fresh vines, her hair pulled up and through the vines as if it was a part of her. Like Crowley, her wings were open, glimmering white in the light.

Ella looked at Mazikeen to see the demon’s face was half skeletal. She whined and turned to Lucifer, overwhelmed and afraid. Six luminous wings arched from Lucifer’s back, a flurry of feathers behind him. His irises glowed a hot red, his sclera burned with a black fire that also licked at his fingertips and the sizzling crown on his head. Despite all that, his expression was gentle.

“You probably shouldn’t watch this, Miss Lopez.”

Behind Aziraphale, the land beyond the archway was lit with the golden glow that had transformed everyone. There was an enormous stone wall with a door that showed the lush, green garden beyond. Flanking the entry were two creatures that rose as they appeared. The muscular, leonine bodies were as tall at the shoulders as the top of Aziraphale’s head. A small pair of wings were wrapped around the creatures’ heads, hiding them. A second pair, vast and shimmering, arched behind the celestials. Gems flashed in the creatures’ wings; it took a moment for Ella to realize they were blinking. She immediately buried her face into Lucifer’s chest, shaking.

It was impossible to tell where the cherubims’ focus lay, but they both bowed, cautious.

“Greetings Aziraphale, Principality of Eden, Guardian of the Eastern Gate.” They paused, seeming to consider the others. “Greetings to the being who is known now as Crowley, Serpent of Eden, Architect of the Fall of Man.”

The magician whipped around, startled. It was hard to imagine that he could not have known who Crowley was if they knew so much about Aziraphale. The angel remained poised, calm. “Greetings to the Guardians of Eden. Your relentless, ever-vigilant watch is a thing ever admired.”

They bowed their acknowledgment of her polite compliments. “Have you need of assistance, Principality?” they asked, speaking in eerie tandem, tones vaguely concerned. “Your enemies are ours, and we will lay them low in honor of the Almighty’s faith in you.”

Crowley cringed slightly, unsure if they meant the human or him. He really didn’t want to be a chew toy for two cherubim: too many mouths.

The magician grabbed Aziraphale’s arm and squeezed tight enough to make her wince in pain. “Tell them that you’re fine, then take me to the Tree.”

“They can hear you,” Aziraphale snapped.

Eve pulled away from Mazikeen and ran out onto the solid water to stand beside Crowley. “Honorable Cherubim,” she said, taking to one knee, “I am Eve, formerly of Eden, returned to life. Your eyes see all. Surely, you can see the bonds our dearest principality is captured in. The human man beside her is a magician. He abducted and threatened Aziraphale and does so even in your esteemed presence.”

The wings on the cherubims’ back mantled in anger, arching around them. Before they could respond, Aziraphale raised her hand. “Dearest Cherubim, the words Eve speaks are true. However, I have received communication from our Lord to bring this human before a golden apple.”

They shifted again, eyes opening and closing all over their bodies. “Principality Aziraphale, you are always welcome in Eden, but any who would insist through aggressive means may not enter. Fetch your apple, then return before us.”

Aziraphale grabbed her skirts and walked in through the door. She returned quickly, looking like something fey with the vines and wood. In her hand was a single, beautiful apple with yellow skin. It looked like a Golden Delicious apple, found in any grocery store, but also strangely perfect.

The magician stared at the apple with greed and, once the angel was before him, reached for it. Aziraphale pulled her hand away, eyes cold.

“God commanded that I bring you to the apple. He never said to give it to you.”

The magician snarled at him. “You are under my command. You must obey!”

Aziraphale cocked her head, and the full force of her expansive presence seemed to shimmer. She looked like a queen, an empress with armies who rode at her heels and obeyed her every whim. “I will not.”

The magician shouted in rage, then pistol-whipped her. Aziraphale’s head snapped to the side, and she blinked in shock.

Crowley grabbed Eve and turned away as Lucifer pressed Ella’s face into his chest. A strange, unimaginable sound of rage echoed over the land, a mix of an eagle’s scream, a lion’s roar, and a human’s shout. The sound sent a shockwave through all of the humans, making Ella shriek in terror and shock.

Silence quickly reigned again. Ella turned around in Lucifer’s arms. Next to Aziraphale was the magician, his expression locked in horror. Salt crystals coated his entire body as he remained frozen before slowly falling apart and sinking into the water below. Around them, the guards and the assistant were also frozen in terror, pillars of salt.

“Oh!” Aziraphale, shifting awkwardly as her eyes traveled over the dead humans. “Ah, thank you?”

“We are the guardians of the path. You are Lord of Eden. That a human would strike you thus is blasphemy,” they said.

Aziraphale shrugged awkwardly as if trying to adjust her coat with full hands. “Ah, yes.”

Ella jerked back from Lucifer, panic rising high in her throat. “Okay. Okay. I don’t understand this. What is this?”

“To what do you refer, human Ella?” the cherubim responded.

She froze in shock, staring at the beings with eyes slightly too wide. Lucifer stepped forward, putting a hand gently on her shoulder. “Miss Lopez--”

“No,” she said, jerking away. “I want to ask.” Ella cautiously stepped onto the water. “What is…” she waved her hand jerkily at Aziraphale, “that?”

Aziraphale merely watched her, expression impassive, with her scepter in one hand and the golden apple in another.

“That is Aziraphale, Principality of the Lord our God, Guardian of the Eastern Gate and Lord of Eden,” they responded.

“No, I know it’s Aziraphale. I mean the crown and staff/scepter thing.”

“This is the true form of a principality, the symbols of their dominion.”

“That’s just it,” Ella said, a little hysterical but admirably reigning it in. “Humans should not be able to look upon an angel’s true form.”

“This is the gateway of Eden,” the cherubim responded, their voices warming with something that could have been affection or amusement. “It is meant for Humanity, your final privilege. The Tree of Life is the Almighty’s final gift once He decides you are worthy.”

“So, God is protecting me from being a salt lick?” Ella asked.

“God is the light through which the world is revealed to you,” they responded.

Ella chewed on her cheek. “So, I can have my gift?” she asked cautiously.

“Ella!” Eve said, shocked just as Lucifer protested, “Miss Lopez.”

“If our Lord wills it, precious human, reach forth your hand and take your gift,” the cherubim said.

She carefully walked up to Aziraphale. The angel looked almost like a statue, pale face empty of expression. Ella swallowed and closed her eyes, fiercely praying, asking God for His help. Then she reached up and grasped the golden collar still around Aziraphale’s neck and pulled. The metal snapped apart, and it, along with the other four cuffs, fell off the angel. They sank into the water, disintegrating like the salt.

Aziraphale looked at her in shock. “Miss Lopez…”

“I absolutely do not want to live forever.” Ella took the golden apple, turned, and pitched it back into the garden through the door.

“This was wise and compassionate of you, human Ella,” the cherubim said, sounding warm. “We find that we are a bit more pleased than Principality Aziraphale and the being who is now known as Crowley stood against the ending of the world. We look forward to when the first of humans may be granted the apples. We will be pleased to show you our faces once you have returned home to the Silver City.”

“Uh, yeah,” she said a bit awkwardly. “I’m also thrilled the world didn’t end. I look forward to seeing you, kind of.”

“The gate needs to close,” Aziraphale said. She gestured for everyone to get to the shore. Eve met Ella and held her tight, turning so they could watch.

“Farewell, Guardians of the Tree of Life. May our Lord grant you strength in your vigil, and we that we may meet again in better times.”

The cherubim elegantly settle, loafing like house cats as they innumerable jeweled eyes slowly blinked open and close.

Aziraphale raised her scepter. The veil over the garden pulled back down to rest and wait. Then the light was gone, leaving an exhausted and frazzled Aziraphale still standing on water no longer smooth as glass.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These last two chapters are short, and possibly should have been one chapter, but you'll see why I split them up.

_Lake Keban, Turkey_ _  
_

Aziraphale slowly walked back toward them. She was back to looking human, if still female, and wearier than most of them had ever seen her. Crowley had his hands in his pockets, shifting a bit anxiously as she approached as if he didn’t know what to do. Aziraphale walked right up to him and leaned her head into his chest.

“I think I should like to be held right now,” she said softly, uncaring if the others heard her.

Crowley’s arms immediately went around her, engulfing her in his being. It was sweet, but no one dared to coo, even if Ella really, really wanted to.

“Well, you nearly gave us a fright, Miss Lopez,” Lucifer said lightly, breaking some of the tension as he turned to her. “I had trouble believing I had judged you so wrong that you truly wanted an apple from the Tree of Life.”

“I’m so proud of you!” Eve squealed, hugging Ella tightly. “I didn’t even think about the bonds! I just assumed they would have gone away with the magician dead.”

“When I saw the collar was still there, I wondered if the spell bound her to the organization rather than a specific person. Either way, the Big Guy promised a gift, and I knew what I wanted for Christmas.”

“Brave words,” Mazikeen noted, a bit amused.

Ella’s voice was slightly shrill as she replied. “They are drowning out the hysterical screaming in my head. Excuse me.” She promptly sat down and put her head between her knees.

Eve looked between the three demons and the other two women. “Um, so, how are we getting home? Ella and I have our passports, but I’m not sure Aziraphale does.”

“We traveled through Hell to get here,” Mazikeen replied. “Doubt that will work this time.”

Disturbingly, Eve perked. “I haven’t seen Hell before.”

“Eve,” Ella groaned, lifting her head, “you are not supposed to be excited about going to Hell.”

“Well, it’s not like I want to stay,” she protested.

“Perhaps flying would be a better option,” Aziraphale mumbled, voice stifled against Crowley’s chest.

Lucifer looked about. “We do have enough angels,” he said, ignoring Crowley’s scowl at being called angelic.

“Can you carry us?” Eve asked, perking again with delight.

“It’s a long flight to LA,” Mazikeen pointed out. Then she scowled. “And we’re all going to go to Los Angeles.

The group erupted into protests. “My luggage is at the hotel,” Ella pouted. “And I haven’t seen the Tower of London yet. Can’t we just call them and let them know we’re fine?”

“We can probably return to LA with Miss Lopez for a visit after her holiday is over. I’m due for a visit with Charlie soon anyways.” Truthfully, Aziraphale was far too tired to fly all the way to Los Angeles, particularly with a passenger.

“They’ll be disappointed they didn’t get to see your lovely outfit,” Lucifer said to her, smiling a bit salaciously. He wasn’t entirely checking Aziraphale out, which she appreciated, his appreciation more of a tease. Her feelings were so wild that she couldn’t parse them out just then. Having Lucifer flirt with her would have been a bit too much to handle.

“It’s a small matter to change if they truly desire to see,” she said.

Ella seemed worried. “Aziraphale, are you okay to fly back? Do you need to rest?”

She shook her head, backing out of Crowley’s arms. “No. I should like to be home, the sooner, the better.” She offered her hand out to Ella.

The human took it and placed her arms around Aziraphale’s neck, hopping up to wrap her legs around the angel’s hips. Eve mimicked the hold on Crowley, giving the Serpent a teasing grin.

Lucifer put his arm around Mazikeen. “Since I don’t have miracles to keep us hidden, we’ll take the low road.”

“We’ll see you at my bookshop,” Aziraphale replied, spreading her brilliant wings. With a leap and a hard downstroke, they were in the air, rocketing high into the sky. Ella shrieked in delight, limbs tightening around Aziraphale. The angel held her firm, focusing on where they were going. Ella didn’t know how high they were or how fast they were going, but she did know that she should have been freezing and breathless. In the circle of the angel’s arms, she felt safe and warm, if a little wind-blasted. It was a glorious feeling.

Their journey lasted for quite some time, the timing too difficult to guess with them flying into the sun as they were, but eventually, they dipped out of the air, descending nearly as fast as they had ascended. Ella shrieked again, unable to help herself at the strange sensation of weightlessness that occurred from Aziraphale dropping more quickly than Ella would have fallen on her own. Then they were on concrete, and her legs absolutely refused to hold her. Aziraphale held her up, the angel flushed and panting.

“It’s been some time since I’ve flown like that,” she gasped. “I will be quite sore in the morning.”

Crowley landed then, the demon just as overtaxed as the angel. Eve looked bright-eyed and delighted, but far less elated than Ella. “I’ve been flown around Heaven,” she pointed out.

Once everyone got their feet under them, Aziraphale opened the back door to the shop, letting everyone in. Crowley collapsed onto a sofa while Ella grabbed an armchair, her legs still shaking. Aziraphale went directly to the Mother Shipton volume on her desk, delicately studying it. It wasn’t long before Lucifer and Mazikeen slipped into the shop.

“Are we all in one piece?” he asked, looking around the room with amusement. Crowley waved vaguely while Ella shot him a thumbs up, her body only just starting to calm down. Aziraphale didn’t reply, and Eve was focused on the angel, watching her careful actions.

“Why are you in that form anyway?” Mazikeen asked, walking over to lean against the desk. She looked over Aziraphale’s shoulder at the book she was carefully studying.

Aziraphale looked up at her, blue eyes blinking owlishly, then she turned back. “The original prophecy referred to me as Princess Cassandra’s handmaiden. Our captors believed that I needed to appear this way to open the gate.”

“They used the binding spell to force her to change,” Eve elaborated.

Crowley waved again, more of a flop than anything elegant. “So change back, angel.”

“In due time. I will not have my experience of this form tainted by my would-be abductors.” She didn’t look up, searching through her drawers for the supplies she needed to fix the torn end sheet.

Crowley looked up, puzzled. “What? You don’t need to stay in the form for that.” He watched the stiff way Aziraphale moved. She sliced off the covers to begin repairing the damage as if ignoring his input. After a moment, she muttered something. “What’s that, angel?”

“I don’t have my clothes,” she snapped, giving him a withering glance. “I had to leave them behind.”

Ella blinked, looking around. “I thought you lived here, above the shop, right? Don’t you have other clothes?”

“Doubtful,” Lucifer noted dryly. “Our little sister is set in her comforts.

Crowley stared at Aziraphale for a long moment. Then he rolled his eyes in such a full-body way that he collapsed back onto the sofa. He snapped his fingers, and the suit appeared at the end of the desk, neatly folded.

Ella paled. After everything that had happened, why that bit of magic was too much was hard to say. “I really think I need to go back to my hotel room and have an existential crisis,” she breathed.

“We should walk you back to your hotels,” Lucifer responded, gesturing to Mazikeen. He walked over to Ella and offered his arm. It wasn’t a casual action. It was better to know now if she was going to lose her mind like Linda and Decker had.

To his surprise, Ella immediately clung to him. At his surprise, she grinned weakly. “You’re not going to get rid of me that easily. We... do need to talk.”

“I will put myself at your disposal,” Lucifer replied, sounding absolutely sincere. It was easy to see, particularly for the angel, how deeply he truly cared for her.

Mazikeen nodded to Eve, gesturing for her to lead the way. “I’ll take you to your hotel. Where are you staying?”

Eve told her as she also threaded her arm through the demons. “I appreciate the company. After everything, I still get a bit turned around.”

Mazikeen blushed slightly and immediately shot Crowley a brutal glare, daring him to comment. The Serpent’s focus was firmly on Aziraphale as she worked to repair her book.

When the bookshop was silent, Crowley slithered to his feet and leaned up beside Aziraphale. “That collar Ella pulled off was a binding spell, wasn’t it?”

She nodded. “Indeed.”

“So you didn’t have a choice but to take them to Eden.”

She stilled a moment, hesitant. “Well, that’s not quite accurate. The spell was not designed for a principality. The magician could bind me, but not control my actions.” Aziraphale glanced sideways at him, then pulled the parchment from her pocket and handed it over.

“What’s this?” Crowley took the page and read it with a scowl. “Angel, this could mean anything.”

“Really? Because I thought it quite clear.” She gestured to the book in front of her. “It was discovered between the board and end sheet of the Mother Shipton,” she continued. “Eve tore it by accident and found the page short moments before the window broke. The timing seemed appropriate.”

“Why would the Almighty want you to take all those humans to Eden just to destroy them?”

“I don’t know,” she snapped, frustrated. “Nothing has changed, except now Miss Lopez known, but she is mildly psychic anyway. She was bound to find out.” Aziraphale huffed and walked away before plopping onto a sofa. Her pout was equally adorable on her softer, feminine face. “But I mustn’t question God. There is surely a reason.”

“I can question Him as much as I like, enough for the both of us,” Crowley replied as he slid up beside her. He brushed her hair back and leaned in. The kiss was more of a melding of breath, the two reassuring themselves that the other was alright. Finally, Crowley pulled back. “Why don’t you clean up and change? You’re always on edge when you wear other forms.”

Aziraphale sighed, looking down at herself. “Yes, you’re probably right.” She stood and looked back at him. “Perhaps you might…” Aziraphale trailed off, staring in growing horror as Crowley was frozen in place. The sounds of the outside world had gone silent, no longer filtered through the windows. Everything was eerily still and quiet.

She was not unfamiliar with the freezing of time, but never alone. Crowley was generally the one doing the freezing and was, therefore, with her. Now, he was as trapped as the rest of the world. A brilliant glow began to grow from behind her, leaving the principality trembling as she slowly turned.

“ **_AZIRAPHALE…_ **”


	10. Chapter 10

_ Soho, London _

Aziraphale’s body seized, divine power flowing through her veins, her eyes burning with light. Her wings erupted from her back, sweeping everything out of her way as she spasmed again in ecstasy.

She didn’t know how long she was lost in that flow, her thoughts wiped clean even as her essence roared helplessly with power. Then the final wave ebbed, leaving her limp and insensate. She wasn’t entirely helpless: she was aware of the presences around her. The one closest to her was discordant with the energy that still made her nerve-endings tingle with aftershocks. There was another being that was so disharmonious to her that she whined, struggling to crawl away. Her physical form was still too boneless to move. She couldn’t focus on the material, and so couldn’t identify who was there. Soon, the others faded until she was left alone with the original discordance. She still couldn’t recall who it was, but she knew they were beloved of her. When they were close enough, she did her best to cling to them. There was some struggle, but she refused to be resisted. The presence wrapped around her, and she drifted away in peace and pleasure.

When Aziraphale finally opened her eyes, she was still blissfully content. It took some time for her to realize she was blinking sleepily at Crowley’s still-clothed chest, but then she stiffened and glanced around.

They were in the bedroom at the bookshop. That wasn’t really all that unusual, except Aziraphale had no idea how they had arrived there. Her body ached deliciously, practically every cell sated to the tips of each feather. This also wasn’t particularly strange except not only were they both dressed, but her wings should not have been involved. Crowley was good, stellar in fact, but a demon couldn’t set an angel’s wings to shivering any more than the other way around. Wings were a part of their essence, and while they could touch and preen, reaching too deep was dangerous due to their differences.

In her arms, Crowley shifted then winced slightly. He blinked open his eyes, saw Aziraphale staring at him, then widened them and scrambled up. “Angel, you alright?”

“Me? My dear boy, you’re the one that winced.”

“Well, yeah. I couldn’t find a comfortable position with you clinging to me.”

She looked at him, slowly growing more upset. She felt befuddled, like she’d found a spot in a novel where a page or two had been ripped out.

“Angel, what’s wrong?” Crowley asked, his voice unusually soft. “Does this have anything to do with what the Almighty wanted?”

Aziraphale looked at him sharply. “What?”

“Yesterday, downstairs, just after Lucifer left with his entourage.”

The angel stared blankly at the wall, going through everything in her head. She remembered everyone leaving, but after was a vague impression of heat and light that left her reeling. Then she woke up in bed. Her memory was immaculate. She’d never forgotten something like this before. “I… I don’t--”

Both nearly discorporated as a knock banged onto the bedroom door. Before they could respond, it opened and Lucifer entered, followed by Mazikeen. Ella was in the doorway, managing to look both disapproving and delighted to see Crowley and Aziraphale in bed together.

“Well,” Lucifer said, grinning at the two on the bed, “doesn’t this look cozy?”

Aziraphale stared at him, scandalized. On their first trip to Los Angeles, Lucifer had barged in on them, but they had been in the penthouse at Lux. It was Lucifer’s home. This was Aziraphale’s, and no one was ever invited into her flat, let alone her bedroom.

Beside her, Crowley winced. He hadn’t been taken upstairs until they had started their more intimate relationship, so he was aware of the faux pas. “Er… Boss…”

Aziraphale scrambled off the bed, heedless of being barefoot and only in the muslin dress. “Have you no propriety? This is my home, and you have not been invited up here, and certainly not into my bedroom.” She grabbed Lucifer’s arm and dragged him out, not caring that she was manhandling the King of Hell. “It is entirely inappropriate for you to barge into an intimate space that you have not been welcomed to.”

“You tell him, Aziraphale,” Ella said, grinning as she followed them.

“I’m the Devil--” Lucifer protested.

“That is no excuse for you to be rude to your associates.” By the time Aziraphale pushed Lucifer onto the sofa in the back room, he had regained his usual form and switched his garments to his suit. Once he had Lucifer seated, Aziraphale sharply snapped his fingers, and a pot of steaming tea with cups appeared on the coffee table. He tugged his waistcoat, smoothing it before he sat on the armchair and leaned forward to pour the tea. Another miracle made Lucifer’s drink into coffee, and he sat the cup into the Devil’s hands.

“Now,” the angel said, visibly settling, “how can I help you?”

There was a long moment of silence, suddenly broken by Mazikeen’s voice from the door. “Wooooow.” She and Crowley were leaning in against the doorframe, wide-eyed. She pushed away and sauntered over to sit beside Lucifer. “Didn’t think you had that in you, Prince.”

“He’s pretty damn amazing,” Ella said, bouncing in to flop onto the floor by Lucifer’s feet. “You should have seen how epic he was around that magician.”

Crowley settled onto an arm of Aziraphale’s chair, silently taking the tea he was handed. Lucifer seemed to decide that the best course of action was to accept what had just happened and move on.

“Dad was here yesterday,” he finally said, setting his untouched coffee aside. “What did He want?”

“Crowley was informing me of this when you appeared,” Aziraphale replied. He took a sedate sip of his tea.

They all stared at him. “And?” Lucifer prompted impatiently.

“And I’m afraid I don’t recall.”

“What?” Crowley asked, startled. “You always remember. Well, when you want to. Seems like you’d want to.”

“He did get whammied,” Mazikeen pointed out, leaning back as if that explained everything.

“This is just like dear old Dad--”

Sensing a rant, Aziraphale ignored Lucifer. “Whammied?” he asked Mazikeen, frowning.

She grinned sharply and not a little salaciously. “Divine ecstasy. And believe me, Prince, you looked very ecstatic.”

“Ah,” he said with a flush. He remembered heat and light. It was hard to describe the sensations that accompanied as pleasure, as it was equally agonizing. He couldn’t remember the details of it, but the impressions could be interpreted that way. “Proper ecstasy?” he asked, looking up at Crowley.

“Well, I haven’t exactly been in the room when you had those assignments, but the energy’s about right. Just… more.”

Aziraphale frowned. “Oh. Yes, only the Almighty can inspire an angel like that.”

“So we’ve heard,” Mazikeen replied. “So, what did He say?”

“I truly don’t know.”

“How can you not know?” Lucifer asked, exasperated. “You’re an angel. God spoke to you for the first time in your existence. You just brushed that off?”

“Obviously He doesn’t want me to remember,” Aziraphale replied. He was unhappy and a bit hurt, not enjoying Lucifer’s reminder of his insignificance in the eyes of his Lord. “I remember you leaving to take Miss Lopez back to the hotel, Crowley staying behind. There are some vague impressions of light and warmth, then I woke up an hour ago.”

Lucifer scowled at him. Aziraphale suspected, based on the thoughtful look in his eyes, that he was not who the demon was frustrated with. “I want to look.”

“You think you can break past anything God has put up?” Mazikeen snarked at him.

Crowley looked displeased. “Don’t you think he deserves the chance to rest up a bit? It’s been a shit week for all of us.”

“The sooner I dig in, the easier it will be to undo what Dad did.” Lucifer looked at the angel. “What do you say, little brother? Don’t you want to know what He wants?

“No,” Aziraphale replied immediately. “I have faith this is part of His plan, and I will know when He needs me to.” Before any of them could protest, Aziraphale raised a hand to cut them off. He considered his next words carefully, needing to know if he was being honest with himself. He wasn’t always, and he knew that, but this situation was too critical. “However, I acknowledge that you are three demons who have not insignificant roles in my existence at this time, and that the itch of curiosity is extremely difficult for you. As such, if you must know, then yes, I will allow you to dig about for answers.”

They didn’t even pause to consider the offer. “Nice speech,” Mazikeen said, pulling out a dagger to clean under her nails. Lucifer rose and gestured Crowley to the couch as he moved to stand before Aziraphale. The Devil put one hand on the back of the chair, the other bracing himself on the right arm.

“Ready?” he purred to the angel.

Aziraphale had done this many times. It was how Lucifer trained him to communicate with Charlie, Amenadiel’s son and the first baby angel. He smoothed his hands over his thighs and calmly looked up into Lucifer’s dark eyes, letting the desire flood him.

In his many lessons, Aziraphale had learned that he couldn’t try to hide things from Lucifer. If he was worried and tried to bury a secret or keep something personal hidden, Lucifer’s power would find that desire to hide and flood it, amplifying and broadcasting the existence of the mystery. He had to channel that divine calm to turn his knowledge and being into a smooth, even landscape. When he did that, the desire slid through him unencumbered, leaving him sighing peacefully. It was a beautiful feeling, one that Lucifer groused about, but it allowed Charlie to slip in and out without finding anything to disturb.

Lucifer’s hand came up to hold him still as he slid through Aziraphale’s mind to his surface thought, tracing through them. It was pleasant, having the personification of desire so close to him. The Devil slid past the ecstasy, uninterested in that spectacle, to carefully comb through the moments before. Aziraphale peacefully stayed wrapped in Lucifer’s eyes until the other man pulled back with a snarl.

“What?” Crowley asked, obviously trying to play it cool and failing.

“He removed them,” Lucifer growled.

“What?” Mazikeen echoed.

“Dad. One moment, Aziraphale is standing in the bookshop, next in bed. In between is the ecstasy, and nothing else. If I hadn’t known we came back to check on what happened, I wouldn’t have been able to tell anything is missing.”

“But if only God can inspire ecstasy in angels, then we would know He was here,” Mazikeen pointed out with a frown. “Why leave a calling card if He took all the memories away?”

“Why flood Mesopotamia and wiped everyone out?” Crowley asked sardonically. “It doesn’t have to make sense.”

“Okay,” Ella replied slowly. “But is there anything we can do about it?”

Lucifer glanced over at her. “How do you mean?”

“Well, if God does have a plan and is putting it into motion, is there anything we can do? I mean, so far, everything is centered around Aziraphale, who is an angel in good standing with Him, if not Heaven. If He has a plan in place that involves Aziraphale, then all we can do is support our angel if and how he chooses to obey. Right? Otherwise, it has nothing to do with us.”

Lucifer’s eyes were dark and sparkling. “And if it does end up involving us?”

She gave a nervous shrug. “I’m no expert; this is all really new to me. But I’d say that it’s all up to each of us. I have faith in the Big Guy, and Aziraphale is my friend, so I’ve got his back as much as he wants or needs my help. That doesn’t mean you guys have to.”

Lucifer watched her for a long moment, his face soft. “You know, Miss Lopez, I’m not so fond of my Father, or even my siblings. There are very few people I would put my faith in when it comes to Dad. Aziraphale, I would do my best to protect from Dad’s machinations, but you…” Here, his voice went soft. “I don’t trust my Father, but I have faith in you.”

Ella blushed five shades darker.

Crowley cleared his throat, eyebrows arched over his sunglasses. “This is all very touching, and I almost mean that sincerely, but if we’ve got nothing here, then you lot need to leave. Shit week, remember?”

Lucifer shot Crowley a look but then observed Aziraphale. “Yes. We’ll be in touch if we learn more. Aziraphale, if you remember anything, make sure everyone knows. Maze, Crowley, and Amenadiel can all get messages to me.” He paused, considering. “Maybe I should teach you how to find me in Hell.”

“Can he even do that?” Mazikeen asked, curious. “Is he strong enough?”

“I don’t know. Never tried.” Lucifer straightened and helped Ella up.

Crowley shot Aziraphale a firm look. “Don’t move. I’ll get them out and lock up.”

Alone, Aziraphale shifted on the armchair. Feeling strange, he let his hands wander over himself and ended up tugging at the cuff on his left wrist. He hadn’t realized the skin itched until that moment. He ran his thumb over it, studying the surface. To his surprise, gold shimmered under it, gone the next moment. He turned it this way and that, watching the glint until he was able to make out a word engraved under his skin: Nasargiel.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the delay in posting the last chapter. I had to rewrite it.
> 
> So that's it! Trust me, the ending surprised me too. It may takes some time to get the next story up because I have to figure out what it is, and I don't start posting until I have a complete first draft, but hopefully it won't be too long. Thanks for reading!


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